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"THE  SUNDAY-SCH(>Ol  MAN x^f 
OF  THE  SOUTH.' 

A  SKETCH  OF  THE  LIFE  AND  LABORS 


REV.    JOHN    McC  ULLAGE. 


BY  THE 

REV.  JOSEPH  H.  McCULLAGH. 


WITH  AN   INTRODUCTION   BY  THE 
REV.  EDWIN  W.  RICE,  D.D. 


PHILADELPHIA 

THE  AMERICAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  UNION, 

1122  Chestnut  Street. 

New  Yokk:  8  and  10  Bible  House. 

1889. 


DEDICATION. 


TO  THE  MANY  THOUSANDS  OF  MY  FATHER'S  BELOVED  FRIENDS 
THROUGHOUT    THIS    UNION,    FROM     THE    LITTLE    ONES    IN 
SUNDAY-SCHOOLS  TO  THE  VENERABLE  SAINTS  OF  FOUR- 
SCORE   YEARS,    WHO    HAVE    OFTEN    LISTENED   WITH 
PLEASURE    TO    THE    STIRRING    APPEALS    FROM 
THE  VOICE  THAT  IS  NOW  SILENT,  AND  WHO, 
BY  THEIR  KIND  WORDS  OF  CHEER  AND 
GENEROUS  CONTRIBUTIONS   TO  THE 
GREAT    CAUSE    TO    WHICH     HE 
DEVOTED   HIS  LIFE, 
MADE  THE  OLD  MISSIONARY'S   HEART  REJOICE, 
AND    HIS    LIFE    ONE    OF    TRIUMPH, 

IS  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED 

BY  THE  AUTHOE. 


Copyright,  1889,  by 
The  American  Sunday-School  Union. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Any  well-written  biography  of  a  good  person 
inspires  the  living  to  fill  their  lives  with  good 
deeds.  If,  as  Carlyle  says,  "the  history  of 
what  man  has  accomplished  in  this  world  is  at 
bottom  the  history  of  the  great  men  who  have 
worked  here,"  then  this  little  book  is  no  unim- 
portant contribution  to  the  history  of  the 
American  people  in  the  South ;  for  those  who 
occupy  high  public  offices  are  not  the  only 
great  men  of  a  nation.  "  Given  a  great  soul 
open  to  the  divine  significance  of  life,"  and 
you  will  have  a  person  fit  to  speak  and  to  do 
great  things.     In  a  high  or  a  humble  sphere 

(V) 


vi  INTRODUCTION, 

such  a  soul  will  become,  nay  is,  one  of  the 
world's  great  men. 

Hence  every  true  reform  and  every  import- 
ant movement  develops  great  souls.  They  are 
the  world's  heroes ;  recognized  in  their  period 
and  place,  and  justly  honored  for  their  achieve- 
ments. To  this  noble  army  of  confessors  and 
great  men  John  McCuUagh  belonged.  Good 
biographies  of  such  men  are  among  the  most 
instructive  and  valuable  works  in  Christian 
literature.  A  better  class  of  books  for  Sun- 
day-school libraries  and  for  the  home  is  not  to 
be  found. 

This  unpretending  yet  admirable  sketch  of 
the  "Sunday-school  Man  of  the  South"  will 
be  read  with  avidity  by  thousands  who  have 
been  stirred  by  his  eloquent  appeals,  and  by 
thousands  of  others  who  have  been  blessed 
by  his  indefatigable  labors.     The  consecrated 


INTRODUCTION.  vii 

Scotch  lad,  upon  whose  head  the  beloved 
Thomas  Chalmers  kindly  laid  his  hand,  accom- 
panying it  with  thoughtful  counsel,  was  ever 
after  inspired  with  a  good  measure  of  the  same 
fiery  zeal  that  filled  the  heart  of  the  greatest 
of  modern  Scotch  preachers.  Scotch  persever- 
ance, animated  by  such  zeal,  enabled  McCul- 
lagh  to  sweep  everything  before  him. 

It  is  a  difficult  task  to  write  a  just  and  in- 
teresting biography;  but  this  delicate  work 
has  been  performed  with  rare  discrimination, 
excellent  taste  and  graphic  conciseness  by  the 
son,  the  Rev.  Joseph  H.  McCullagh,  now  grace- 
fully wearing  the  mantle  and  vigorously  carry- 
ing forward  the  work  dear  to  his  father's  heart. 
The  fragrance  of  such  a  consecrated  life  as 
John  McCullagh's  is  sweet :  it  deserves  to  be 
held  in  remembrance,  as  it  long  will  be,  south 
and  north,  and  may  cheer  many  a  discouraged 


viii  INTROBUCTIOK 

soul,  by  the  help  of  God,  to  do  a  heroic  work 
for  the  Master,  in  the  face  of  adverse  fortune, 
and  in  a  strange  land. 

Edwin  W.  Rice. 

Philadelphia,  July  10, 1889. 


CONTENTS. 


PAOB 

Dedication, iii 

Introduction, v 

CHAPTER  I. 

Early  Life, 15 

Serious  illness,  15 — Religious  training,  16 — Dr.  Thos. 
Chalmers,  17— University  of  Glasgow,  18 — Trials,  18 
—Work  in  Scotland,  19— Adventure  on  the  Irish 
coast,  20. 

CHAPTER  II. 
Goes  to  America, 21 

Last  sermon  in  Great  Britain,  21 — Providential  pres- 
ervation, 21 — On  the  ocean,  22 — Drunken  sailor,  23 
— Profane  infidel,  24. 

CHAPTER  III. 
In  New  York, 25 

The  American  Sunday-School  Union,  25 — Resolves 
to  become  a  volunteer  worker,  26 — First  sermon  in 
America,  27 — Goes  to  Monticello,  27 — Dr.  Archibald 
Alexander's  views,  28 — Discussion  with  an  Arian,  28 
—Back-load  sermon,  29,  30. 

(ix) 


X  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Goes  West, 31 

Refuses  to  travel  on  Sunday,  31— The  stop  over  in 
Louisville,  32— Visits  Sunday-school,  32— Rev.  Dr. 
E.  P.  Humphrey,  33— Rev.  Dr.  Stuart  Robinson,  35 
— Great  results,  36. 

CHAPTER  V. 

In  Illinois, 37 

A  civil  engineer,  37— Fever,  38— Mr.  Crenshaw,  38— 
Heroic  prescription,  40— Flatheads,  41— Mr.  Lin- 
coln, 41. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Goes  to  Kentucky, 42 

First  Sunday-school  in  Henderson,  42 — Its  history, 
43— Henderson  Eclectic  Institute,  44— Work  in  the 
interest  of  education,  44 — Hardships  in  volunteer 
missionary  work,  46,  47. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Work  in  Henderson, 49 

Resolves  to  build  a  church,  50 — Difficulties  in  raising 
the  money,  51 — Subsequent  history  of  the  church, 
53 — Grand  Union  meetings,  54 — Marriage,  55-57. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Enters  as  a  Regular, 58 

Enlists  for  life,  59 — Increased  labors,  60— Some  re- 
sults, 61 — Hardships,  61 — Social  influence,  62,  63. 


CONTENTS.  xi 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Missionary  Experience, 64 

Claw-hammer  Sunday-school,  64 — Defeats  the  Ro- 
manists, 65,  66 — Circulation  of  religious  literature, 
67 — History  of  two  books  and  Uncle  Ben,  68-70. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Missionary  Experiences— Cbn^mwec?,        .       .       .71 

Breaks  up  "  The  Travellers'  Rest,"  73— Filling  Ap- 
pointments, 74 — Caught  in  a  tornado,  76 — White  Lick 
school,  77. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Incidents  of  the  Work, 78 

Put  Mr.  Johnston  in  the  harness,  79 — Archie  and  the 
Testament,  80 — After  many  days,  83 — Lost  in  the 
forest,  83 — Methodist  preacher,  84 — Views  of  Union 
work,  85. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

From  a  Missionary's  Note-book,     .       .       .       .86 

Not  afraid  of  a  distillery,  86 — Alphabetarians,  87 — 
Rough  fare,  88 — Uncle  Billy  and  Parson  Benton,  89 — 
Tommie  Ewing,  90 — Bill  Knox  and  the  Mill  School, 
92 — Tokens  of  esteem,  94 — Distinguished  men,  95 — 
Andrew  Jackson,  95 — Alexander  H.  Stephens,  96-98. 


xu  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Opposition  Line, 


Routs  a  Free  Lover,  99-102 — Overcomes  Uncle 
Johnny  the  Hardshell,  103— Results,  105— The  shady 
side  and  the  sunny  side  of  the  opposition  line,  106- 
108— Satisfies  doubters,  Dr.  Todd,  109. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Co-workers, 110 

Stuttering  Willie,  110— Rebecca  Thomas'  ring,  112 — 
Emma  J.  Hill's  dollar,  115 — Ida  May  Bowen,  116 — 
Miss  Charlotte  Sprague,  118— Unknown  friend,  119 
—Many  helpers,  120, 121. 

CHAPTER  XV. 
The  Field  Widens, 122 

Appointed  superintendent,  122 — Success,  123 — Work 
with  missionaries,  124 — Tact  as  a  collector,  126 — In- 
cidents, 127 — Noah's  carpenters,  128 — Efibrts  to  re- 
lieve the  South,  129. 

CHAPTER  XVL 
During  the  War, 131 

The  work  not  delayed,  131 — Danger  and  deliverance, 
132, 133— Protects  missionaries,  134, 135— The  Golden 
Link,  136— Blind  Ben,  136,  137. 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Addresses, 138 

Success  as  a  public  speaker,  138-140 — Jesus  only,  141 
— Battle  of  Manassas,  142 — Work  of  The  American 
Sunday-School  Union,  143-145— The  infidel's  daugh- 
ter, 146-149— Dave  Nelson,  150-152. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Personal  Characteristics, 153 

Mental  traits,  153 — Strong  religious  convictions,  154 
— Covenant  with  God,  155-157 — Prayers  answered, 
158 — Wide  religious  sympathies,  159 — Claimed  by  all, 
160 — Confession,  161 — Will  power,  161 — Incident, 
162 — Industry,  162 — Daniel  Webster  and  his  brother, 
163. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

General  Results — A  Retrospect— Closing  Years,  165 

Great  length  of  service,  165 — Number  of  schools  or- 
ganized, 166 — Money  collected,  167 — Results  of  work 
in  southern  district,  167 — Work  done  for  God  dieth 
not,  168 — Hand  of  Providence,  169 — Quiet  old  age, 
171 — Work  as  general  missionary,  172 — Affliction  of 
deafness,  172 — Relaxation,  172 — Loss  of  friends,  173 
—Rev.  Dr.  B.  M.  Palmer,  174— Last  contribution, 
175 — Last  letters,  175 — Falls  asleep  in  Jesus,  176. 


xiv  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Views  of  his  Character, 178 

By  Rev.  Dr.  James  M.  Crowell,  178— From  Rev.  Dr. 
H.  Clay  Trumbull,  178— A.  G.  Adams,  179— Colonel 
B.  H.  Young,  179— Rev.  G.  S.  Jones,  180— Rev. 
Isaac  Emory,  180— H.  W.  Hunter,  181— Rev.  W.  P. 
Paxson,  D.D.,  181— L.  Milton  Marsh,  182— R.  G. 
Chisolm,  182— J.  P.  Orr,  182— Rev.  Edwin  W.  Rice, 
D.D.,  183— From  the  Presbyterian  Banner,  184— The 
Sunday-School  World,  185 — The  Christian  Observer,  186 
— The  Courier- Journal,  186 — Henderson  Journal,  187 — 
Henderson  News,  187-189. 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  MAN 
OP  THE  SOUTH. 


CHAPTER  I. 

EARLY   LIFE. 


Many  years  ago,  a  little  boy  in  Scotland  lay 
suflPering  with  brain  fever.  His  mother  was  a 
widow,  and  he  was  now  her  only  son.  Thrice 
already  had  she  been  called  to  mourn,  like 
"  Rachel  weeping  for  her  children,  and  would 
not  be  comforted,  because  they  are  not."  Ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  that  time,  the  phy- 
sician was  bleeding  the  little  sufferer,  to  reduce 
the  fever ;  and  while  feeling  the  pulse,  which 
was  beating  weaker  and  weaker,  his  face  was 
grave  and  troubled.  The  mother  was  looking 
on  with  anguish  and  despair. 

"John,"  said  the  physician,  "has  the  pain 
left  you?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  the  moment  you  spoke  it 
stopped." 

15 


16  EARLY  LIFE. 

"  Thank  God,  you  will  recover.  The  crisis 
is  past." 

These  words  from  the  doctor  brought  sun- 
shine to  the  mother's  heart  and  face.  This 
boy,  whose  life  had  been  quivering  in  a  bal- 
ance, was  John  McCuUagh. 

He  was  born  near  Glasgow,  Scotland,  Octo- 
ber 31,  1811,  being  the  youngest  of  four 
children.  His  brother  Joseph,  and  two  sisters, 
died  quite  early  in  life.  His  father  died  when 
John  was  very  young.  It  was  with  joy  like 
unto  that  of  the  Shunammite  woman,  whose  son 
was  raised  from  the  dead  by  Elisha,  that  this 
afflicted  Scottish  mother  heard  her  son  would 
recover. 

She  was  a  woman  of  great  strength  of  char- 
acter and  of  deep  religious  convictions.  When 
her  son  was  restored  to  health,  she  bent  all  her 
energies  to  train  him  in  a  godly  and  pious  man- 
ner. The  Bible,  the  Confession  of  Faith  and 
Shorter  Catechism  were  her  text-books.  Faith, 
prayer  and  holy  living  were  her  methods  of 
teaching.  The  pupil  was  an  apt  scholar,  hav- 
ing a  bright  mind  and  a  remarkable  memory. 
Chapter   after   chapter  from  God's  word  was 


IN  SCOTLAND.  17 

thoroughly  learned.  The  Psalms  of  David  in 
metre,  such  as  are  used  in  the  Scottish 
churches,  were  memorized.  These  he  never 
forgot ;  and  when  over  seventy  years  of  age  he 
could  sit  and  repeat  by  the  hour,  with  all  the 
quaint  sweetness  of  the  Scotch  brogue,  these 
beautiful  Psalms  and  truths  of  God  which  he 
had  learned  at  his  mother's  knee. 

While  the  boy  was  quite  young,  the  noted 
Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Chalmers  came  to  Glasgow, 
as  pastor  of  the  Tron  Church,  and  commenced 
his  wonderful  work  of  Sabbath-school  and 
church  extension  in  the  destitute  portions  of 
that  city.  John  McCullagh  attended  Dr.  Chal- 
mers' Sabbath-school  in  Glasgow,  and  after- 
wards in  Edinburgh.  He  was  a  faithful  and 
diligent  scholar,  and  often  spoke  of  the  day 
when  Dr.  Chalmers  took  him  by  the  hand  and 
led  him  out  before  the  Sunday-school  and 
praised  him  for  memorizing  Bible  verses.  The 
love  and  admiration  which  John  McCullagh 
had  for  Dr.  Thomas  Chalmers  became  one  of 
the  controlling  influences  of  his  life.  It  was 
from  Chalmers'  work  that  he  grasped  the  idea, 
in  after  years,  that  Sabbath-school  work  among 


18  EARLY  LIFE. 

the  poor  and  destitute  was  the  greatest  door 
open  for  Christian  activity;  Chalmers  having 
said,  "  I  see  more  good  results  from  my  Sab- 
bath-school in  Kilmany  than  from  all  my  other 
work."  It  would  be  an  interesting  study  to 
trace  out  the  power  and  influence  of  Dr.  Chal- 
mers' example  on  the  life  of  John  McCuUagh. 
The  same  fire  that  burned  in  the  heart  of  the 
Nestor  of  Scotch  preachers  was  communicated 
to  the  breast  of  his  Sabbath-school  scholar,  and 
borne  by  him  through  the  forests  of  America. 

When  a  young  man,  he  entered  the  Uni- 
versity of  Glasgow.  Geometry  and  the  higher 
mathematics  had  especial  attractions  for  him. 
Surveying,  civil  engineering  and  astronomy 
were  also  favorite  studies.  Owing  to  failing 
health,  he  was  compelled  to  suspend  his  studies 
for  several  years.  During  this  time  he  was 
connected  with  a  commission  house,  and  trav- 
elled for  it  through  the  north  of  Ireland  and 
west  of  Scotland.  This  active  life  having  bene- 
fited him,  he  returned  to  the  university  to 
complete  his  education. 

About  this  time  his  mother  died.  His  affec- 
tionate,  tender   heart    always    treasured   her 


IN  SCOTLAND.  19 

precious  memory  as  sacred ;  and  even  during 
his  last  days,  when  speaking  of  her,  there  was 
a  peculiar  tenderness  and  pathos  in  his  tone. 

Just  before  completing  his  theological  stud- 
ies, another  trial  of  a  different  nature  befell 
him.  He  had  inherited  quite  a  handsome  prop- 
erty, but  had  been  induced  to  indorse  for  some 
friends;  their  enterprise  failed  and  he  had  to 
pay  the  notes.  This  swept  away  his  fortune 
in  one  day. 

He  now  resolved  to  leave  Scotland  and  go 
to  America.  His  plan  had  been  to  devote  him- 
self to  Sunday-school  work  in  Great  Britain, 
and  he  had  organized  Sabbath-schools  among 
the  colliers  and  fishermen  in  Scotland,  and  the 
Irish  in  Connaught ;  but  America  seemed  to  be 
the  more  promising  field. 

His  family  were  all  dead,  and  his  fortune 
gone.  He  wished  to  leave  the  place  of  so 
many  sorrowful  and  unpleasant  associations, 
and  go  to  a  new  world,  and  devote  his  life  to 
the  great  work  of  training  the  young  for  Christ. 

Before  leaving  Great  Britain,  he  visited  the 
Giant's  Causeway  and  the  Irish  coast.  One 
day,  on  this  visit,  he  secured  a  gig  to  drive 


20  EARLY  LIFE. 

along  the  beautiful  coast.  Night  overtook  him 
before  he  returned.  The  way  was  lonesome, 
and  there  was  no  one  in  the  vehicle  except 
himself  and  the  driver.  Suddenly  two  men, 
armed  with  clubs,  rushed  out  of  the  bushes 
and  seized  the  horse  by  the  bridle.  "High- 
waymen," said  McCullagh  to  himself,  "and  I 
am  unarmed  !"  But  his  courage  did  not  fail ; 
and  rising,  he  shouted  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Let 
go  that  horse,  or  I  will  make  you!"  At  the 
same  time  he  snapped  the  spring  of  his  umbrella 
twice,  sharply.  The  larger  man  cried  to  his 
companion,  "Run,  Mike!  that  fellow  has  a 
pistol."  In  an  instant  they  were  gone,  and  he 
returned  safely ;  but  the  adventure  terminated 
the  trip  for  sight-seeing. 


CHAPTER  II. 

GOES   TO   AMERICA. 

In  the  spring  of  1834  he  was  ready  to  leave 
for  New  York.  The  last  sermon  he  heard  in 
England  was  by  Dr.  McNeill,  a  distinguished 
minister  in  Liverpool,  from  the  text,  "  The 
Master  is  come,  and  calleth  for  thee"  (John 
11  :  28).  The  whole  discourse  seemed  as  if  it 
had  been  specially  prepared  for  him.  It  said 
to  him  in  substance,  "  God,  by  his  providence, 
has  brought  you  to  this  point.  The  ship  is  in 
the  harbor,  ready  to  carry  you  over  the  sea. 
A  great  work  is  before  you.  Be  of  good  cour- 
age, '  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid.' " 

He  had  secured  passage  in  the  Jane  Walker, 
a  strong  new  ship,  which  was  to  sail  that  week; 
but  meeting  some  friends  in  Liverpool,  who  de- 
sired that  he  should  remain  some  time  with 
them,  he  went  to  the  office  of  the  owners  and 
asked  that  his  passage  be  changed  to  that  of 
the  Margaret,  a  brig  belonging  to  the  same 
owners,  and  which  was  to  sail  two  weeks  later. 

21 


22  GOES  TO  AMERICA. 

"  Yes,  we  will  change  you/'  said  the  agent,  "  if 
you  will  pay  us  a  handsome  bonus."  "  What ! 
pay  a  bonus  to  be  changed  from  a  new  ship  to 
an  old  brig  ?  I  will  do  nothing  of  the  kind ;  I 
will  go  on  the  Jane  Walker." 

The  Margaret  sailed  two  weeks  later  from 
an  earthly  port,  but  landed  her  passengers  in 
eternity.  Not  a  spar  was  found  to  tell  how, 
when  or  where  she  was  lost. 

When  he  went  on  board  the  Jane  Walker, 
the  first  thing  that  met  his  gaze  was  a  young 
sailor  lying  on  the  deck  in  a  state  of  beastly 
intoxication.  The  sailors  were  standing  around 
laughing  at  him.  One  of  them  said,  ^'Wait 
until  the  mate  comes  on  board,  and  he  will  put 
that  fellow  ashore  in  a  hurry."  Mr.  McCuUagh 
looked  at  the  unfortunate  man,  and  saw  that 
he  had  a  fine,  open  face.  He  was  moved  with 
pity  toward  him,  and  said  to  one  of  the  sailors, 
"  He  looks  like  a  good  fellow ;  you  take  hold 
of  his  feet  and  I  will  take  his  arms,  and  we 
will  carry  him  off  the  deck." 

They  carried  him  below,  and  covered  him 
with  some  old  sails.  The  next  day  the  ship 
was  out  at  sea,  and  the  young  sailor  had  be- 


ON  THE  OCEAN.  23 

come  sober.  As  he  was  walking  on  the  deck 
the  sailors  pointed  to  Mr.  McCullagh,  and  said 
to  the  young  man,  "  That  is  the  gentleman  who 
saved  your  bacon." 

The  ship  was  fifty  days  in  making  the  voy- 
age. After  getting  within  six  hundred  miles 
of  New  York,  contrary  winds  arose,  which,  for 
three  weeks,  blew  them  steadily  back  toward 
Liverpool. 

One  night,  on  this  voyage,  while  a  storm  was 
raging,  a  man  went  to  the  room  where  the 
casks  of  fresh  water  were  kept.  He  left  the 
key  out  which  held  them  in  place,  so  that  the 
rolling  of  the  vessel  threw  them  out  of  posi- 
tion, and  they  were  soon  in  such  a  condition 
that  one  half  of  the  water  supply  was  lost. 

The  next  morning  the  order  was,  "Water 
rations  cut  down  one  half."  Some  days  later 
this  was  again  reduced,  until  a  water  famine 
threatened  them  in  mid-ocean. 

The  young  man  whom  Mr.  McCullagh  had 
befriended  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  water 
supply.  He  told  him  he  was  now  ready  to  re- 
pay him  for  his  kindness,  and  that  he  would 
put  a  gallon  jug  full  of  water  in  his  room  every 


24  GOES  TO  AMERICA. 

morning.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and  every 
day  he  went  among  the  steerage  passengers,  a 
large  number  of  whom  were  on  board,  and 
many  of  them  sick,  and  held  a  glass  of  water 
to  their  parched  lips.  If  he  had  given  them 
gold  and  diamonds  they  could  not  have  been 
more  grateful.  He  said  he  had  never  appre- 
ciated what  a  blessing  water  was  until  then. 

A  Colonel  Bailey,  a  blaspheming  infidel,  was 
on  board.  His  horrid  oaths  shocked  all  who  heard 
them.  One  night  the  ship  was  reported  to  be 
going  down  under  the  terrible  sweep  of  the  tem- 
pest. Colonel  Bailey  was  in  his  room,  pray- 
ing very  earnestly.  A  number  of  passengers 
gathered  around  his  door  to  hear  him.  One  of 
them  said,  "  Why,  he  can  out-pray  a  preacher." 

The  next  day  the  sky  was  clear,  and  when 
the  colonel  was  congratulated  upon  his  gift  in 
prayer,  he  swore  that  it  was  all  a  lie,  he  never 
prayed  in  his  life.  This  convinced  Mr.  McCul- 
lagh  that  some  infidels  are  cowards  when  dan- 
ger is  near. 

After  a  long  and  stormy  voyage  the  Jane 
Walker  reached  New  York  safely. 


CHAPTER  III. 

IN  NEW  YORK. 

It  was  with  great  joy  that  Mr.  McCullagh 
first  gazed  on  the  New  World,  bathed  in  the 
glories  of  the  rising  sun.  Here  was  to  be  the 
scene  of  his  trials  and  triumphs ;  this  people 
were  to  be  his  people,  their  God,  his  God. 
After  landing  he  called  to  see  Mr.  Robert  Car- 
ter, the  noted  book  publisher,  to  whom  he  bore 
letters  of  introduction.  From  Mr.  Carter  he 
received  much  useful  information  about  the 
points  of  difference  between  this  country  and 
Scotland. 

While  in  the  city  he  heard  of  The  American 
Sunday-School  Union,  and  pondered  over  the 
name.  "American,  that  means  national,  not 
sectional ;  Sunday-School,  that  means  spiritual, 
not  secular;  Union,  that  means  united  effort 
for  Christ.  I  like  everything  about  it.  That 
name  expresses  my  sentiments.  I  suppose 
they  have  experienced  men  to  do  the  very  kind 
of  work  I  intend  to  perform.     I  am  a  raw  re- 

25 


26  IN  NEW  YORK. 

cruit,  and  know  nothing  of  this  country,  but  I 
can  be  a  volunteer.  Without  asking  any  pay 
from  the  society,  I  can  help  them  in  their  grand 
work.     I  enlist  in  that  cause  for  life." 

He  resolved  that  instead  of  becoming  an  or- 
dained minister,  where  his  influence  would  be 
local,  he  would  devote  himself  to  missionary 
work,  and  go  to  the  war  on  his  own  charges. 
He  reasoned  thus :  "  While  I  have  but  little 
money  I  have  good  health,  an  education,  and 
am  a  civil  engineer.  With  these  resources  I 
can  always  make  a  living  and  have  time  to 
work  for  the  Master.  If  I  teach  school  I  will 
be  brought  in  contact  with  the  young,  and  can 
have  great  influence  over  them.  If  Paul  prac- 
ticed the  trade  of  tent-making  in  order  to 
preach  the  gospel  without  charge,  I  have  a  good 
scriptural  example  for  my  model ;  and  if  this 
country  is  as  vast  and  boundless  as  they  tell 
me  it  is,  and  the  population  so  widely  scattered, 
there  are  thousands  who  never  hear  the  preach- 
er's voice.  The  church  and  Sunday-school  so- 
cieties cannot  support  all  the  men  required  to 
reach  them.  I  will  be  a  volunteer  in  the  army 
of  King  Jesus,  will  bear  my  own  expenses,  and 


THE  CITY.  27 

go  where  I  think  the  most  good  can  be  done. 
I  will  unfurl  the  blood-stained  banner  of  the 
Cross,  and  tell  of  his  wondrous  love  to  sinners." 

On  the  following  Sabbath  he  went  to  hear 
Rev.  Dr.  Gardiner  Spring  preach.  This  was 
the  first  sermon  he  heard  in  America.  The 
text  was,  "Ye  are  my  witnesses,  saith  the 
Lord"  (Isaiah  43  :  10).  The  theme  was  per- 
sonal work  for  Christ.  One  of  the  main  points 
of  the  sermon  was  the  importance  of  work  in 
the  Sunday-school.  Mr.  McCullagh  was  highly 
pleased  and  greatly  edified  by  the  discourse. 
"  That  is  the  true  doctrine,"  he  exclaimed ; 
^^  that  sounds  like  Dr.  Chalmers." 

After  a  short  stay  in  New  York  city  he  went 
to  Monticello,  Sullivan  county.  New  York. 
Here  he  was  very  kindly  received  by  Rev.  Dr. 
James  Adams.  The  first  sermon  he  heard  from 
Dr.  Adams  was  from  the  text,  "Ye  are  our 
epistle  written  in  our  hearts,  known  and  read  of 
all  men"  (2  Corinthians  3:2),  bringing  out  the 
great  idea  of  Christian  influence  and  the  glory 
of  Christian  work.  Dr.  Adams  cordially  in- 
dorsed Mr.  McCullagh's  views  of  Sunday-school 
missionary  labor,  and  often  accompanied  him 


28  IN  NEW  YORK. 

on  his  missionary  trips.  To  strengthen  his 
views  he  read  to  him  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander's 
opinion,  as  follows  :  "  I  have  a  favorite  notion 
that  this  is  a  rich,  uncultivated  missionary  field. 
There  should  be  a  class  of  preachers  for  chil- 
dren alone.  If  I  were  a  young  man  I  would, 
God  willing,  choose  that  field." 

While  living  in  Monticello,  on  one  occasion 
he  became  involved  in  a  discussion  with  a 
learned  judge  of  that  place,  who  was  an  Arian 
and  a  very  subtle  reasoner.  The  debate  waxed 
warm,  and  a  large  company  gathered  around 
the  disputants. 

Finally,  Mr.  McCullagh  said,  "Judge,  you 
have  the  advantage  of  me.  You  know  what  I 
believe,  but  I  do  not  know  what  you  believe." 

"  I  believe  the  Bible." 

"  Do  you  believe  the  Bible  ?" 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "I  believe  the  Bible." 

"  Well  then,  you  are  a  lawyer  and  a  judge ; 
it  is  your  business  to  make  a  very  close  study 
of  words  to  ascertain  their  exact  meaning,  and 
to  construe  them  strictly  and  accurately.  Now 
then,  if  God,  the  great  Father  of  us  all,  wished 
you  and  me  and  every  one  to  believe  that  Jesus 


SULLIVAN  COUNTY  JUDGE.  29 

Christ  was  divine,  and  in  a  way  so  clear  that 
nobody  could  misunderstand  it,  will  you  please 
tell  us,  as  a  judge,  what  terms  should  be  used 
to  express  the  truth  ?" 

"WeU,"  replied  the  judge,  "if  God  wished 
us  to  believe  Jesus  to  be  divine  he  would  have 
said  in  the  Bible,  He  is  the  true  God.'' 

The  auditors  all  agreed  to  the  judge's  state- 
ment, and  thought  the  young  Scotchman  was 
cornered ;  but  he  quietly  turned  to  the  judge's 
daughter  and  said,  "  Miss  A.,  will  you  please 
take  your  Bible  and  turn  to  the  first  epistle  of 
John,  fifth  chapter,  and  read  the  twentieth 
verse  ?"  In  a  sweet  voice  she  read  to  the  eager 
listeners  the  verse  referring  to  Christ  which 
says,  "  This  is  the  true  God,  and  eternal  life," 
being  the  words  which  her  father  said  should 
have  been  used.  The  judge  gracefully  changed 
the  subject,  and  the  discussion  was  closed. 

Mr.  McCullagh  lived  in  Monticello,  N.  Y., 
several  years,  where  he  taught  school  and 
worked  among  the  poor  in  Sullivan  and  the 
adjoining  counties.  The  following  incident  will 
illustrate  the  nature  of  his  work  there : 

One  Sunday  he  walked  six  miles  through 


30  IN  NEW  YORK. 

deep  snow,  with  a  load  of  books  on  his  back,  to 
organize  a  Sunday-school  among  the  "bark- 
peelers."  They  were  considered  to  be  such 
wicked  people  that  it  was  not  worth  while  to 
try  any  religious  work  among  them.  But  be- 
fore he  commenced  his  address  one  of  the 
"bark-peelers"  jumped  up  and  said,  "This 
young  man  has  already  preached  the  best  ser- 
mon in  this  county.  To  carry  such  a  load  as 
this  six  miles  through  the  snow  is  what  I  call 
a  *  back-load  sermon.'  That  is  the  kind  of 
sermon  I  like.  Now  I  came  here  to  break  up 
the  meeting ;  but  we  are  going  to  have  a  Sun- 
day-school here  if  I  have  to  superintend  it 
myself."  Then,  shaking  his  brawny  fists  at 
some  of  his  companions,  he  continued,  "  If  any 
of  you  fellows  disturb  this  Sunday-school,  see 
what  you  will  get.  Now,  young  preacher,  make 
your  speech  and  I  will  keep  order."  A  good 
and  useful  Sunday-school  was  the  result.  In 
after  years  he  saw  the  spire  of  a  church  point- 
ing heavenward  from  the  spot  where  he  organ- 
ized this  school. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

GOES    WEST. 

The  state  of  Illinois  was  at  that  time  attract- 
ing great  attention.  Many  new  railroads  were 
being  projected,  and  many  settlers  moving  into 
the  state.  Mr.  McCullagh  resolved  to  go  to 
Illinois,  believing  that  much  greater  destitution 
could  be  found  there  than  in  New  York.  Owing 
to  the  slow  methods  of  transportation  then  in 
use,  it  was  a  long  and  tedious  journey.  Arriv- 
ing at  Pittsburgh,  he  paid  his  passage  on  a 
steamer  to  Shawneetown,  Illinois. 

The  boat  reached  Louisville,  Ky.,  Saturday 
night.  When  they  were  some  twenty  miles 
from  the  city,  he  went  to  the  captain  and  said, 
"  How  long  will  you  remain  at  Louisville  ?" 

"  I  do  not  know,"  replied  the  captain ;  "  why 
do  you  ask  ?" 

"  Because  I  have  paid  my  fare  to  Shawnee- 
town, and  if  the  boat  is  going  on  to-night  I  will 
get  off,  as  I  do  not  travel  on  the  Sabbath." 

The  captain  looked  at  him  in  amazement, 

31 


32  GOES  WEST. 

and  said,  ^^  I  have  been  running  steamboats  for 
many  years,  but  you  are  the  first  man  I  have 
met  who  would  get  off,  after  his  fare  was  paid, 
to  keep  from  travelling  on  Sunday ;  but  I  re- 
spect you  for  it — I  had  a  good  mother,  if  I  am 
a  hard  sinner.  I  have  a  large  amount  of  iron 
and  other  freight  for  parties  in  Louisville.  If 
they  are  ready  to  receive  it  when  we  arrive,  the 
boat  goes  on  in  a  few  hours.  It  will  be  late 
when  we  get  there,  and  if  the  parties  have 
gone  home,  we  will  not  leave  Louisville  until 
Monday  morning.     I  will  let  you  know." 

After  the  boat  landed,  the  captain  came  to 
Mr.  McCuUagh  and  said, ''  We  cannot  get  away 
from  here  before  Monday.  Do  not  tell  the 
passengers ;  they  will  worry  me  about  it." 

The  first  Sunday  in  Kentucky  proved  to  be 
a  memorable  one  in  Mr.  McCullagh's  life.  He 
visited  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  Sun- 
day-school, and  made  an  address  at  the  close. 
He  heard  Rev.  Dr.  E.  P.  Humphrey,  pastor  of 
the  church,  preach  an  able  sermon  from  the  text, 
"  For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ : 
for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to 
every  one  that  believeth"  (Romans  1  :  16). 


DR.  HUMPHREY.  33 

With  this  seemingly  accidental  tarry  at  Louis- 
ville were  connected  far-reaching  results.  In 
after  years  this  Presbyterian  church  Sunday- 
school  became  a  regular  contributor  to  his  work, 
and  continues  it  to  this  day.  This  school  alone 
has  given  thousands  of  dollars  to  the  American 
Sunday-School  Union,  besides  a  large  amount 
regularly  contributed  by  the  members  of  the 
church.  Dr.  Humphrey  became  Mr.  McCul- 
lagh's  life-long  friend,  and  a  regular  contributor ; 
and  many  years  after  gave  this  cordial  endorse- 
ment of  his  work :  "  The  American  Sunday- 
School  Union  for  fifty-nine  years  has  carried  the 
gospel  to  thousands  who  had  no  other  instruction 
in  the  plan  of  salvation.  Its  missionary  work 
has  been  managed  through  the  South  with  sin- 
gular discretion  and  ability,  and  its  opportunity 
was  never  so  great  as  now." 

About  forty  years  later,  Mr.  McCuUagh 
visited  the  Sunday-school  of  the  College  Street 
Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  Dr.  Humphrey 
was  then  the  pastor.  In  closing  his  address 
he  said,  "  I  desire  to  offer  a  challenge  to  this 
school.  Forty  years  ago  I  heard  your  pastor 
preach  a  sermon,  and  I  venture  to  say  I  can 


34  GOES  WEST. 

tell  more  of  that  sermon  than  any  of  you 
teachers  or  scholars  can  repeat  of  any  sermon 
the  doctor  has  preached  in  the  last  four  weeks. 
Dr.  Humphrey  is  here,  and  he  will  be  the 
judge.  Any  one  who  is  ready  will  please 
begin." 

He  paused,  waiting  for  some  one  to  com- 
mence.    There  was  no  response. 

Dr.  Humphrey  then  came  forward,  and  was 
deeply  affected.  He  said,  "I  regard  this, 
Brother  McCuUagh,  as  the  compliment  of  my 
life;  that  you,  a  stranger,  forty  years  ago 
passing  through  Louisville,  having  heard  me 
preach,  should  remember  the  text  and  all  the 
points  of  my  sermon."  In  a  private  conversa- 
tion which  followed,  Mr.  McCullagh,  in  a  ban- 
tering way,  said,  "  Doctor,  I  heard  you  preach 
recently,  and  you  are  preaching  about  the  same 
old  subjects  you  did  years  ago.  Why  don't 
you  preach  about  the  sensations  and  new 
things  ?" 

"Ah,"  said  the  doctor,  "  God's  love  for 
sinners  and  the  great  salvation  through  Christ 
will  be  my  theme  as  long  as  I  live." 

Rev.  Dr.  Stuart  Robinson,  who  was  after* 


STUART  ROBINSON.  35 

wards  pastor  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church,  was  also  the  beloved  friend  and  cor- 
dial helper  of  Mr.  McCullagh  in  his  Sunday- 
school  work.  Some  years  he  personally  con- 
tributed fifty  dollars  to  the  cause. 

In  May,  1875,  Dr.  Robinson  went  to  New 
York  city  and  delivered  an  address,  pleading 
for  the  support  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union  in  the  South.  The  meeting  was  held 
in  the  Academy  of  Music.  The  vast  and 
beautiful  building  was  crowded  to  its  utmost 
capacity.  Hon.  William  E.  Dodge  was  the 
chairman  of  the  evening,  and  every  seat  on 
the  great  platform  was  occupied.  Among 
those  present  were  Drs.  John  Hall,  Armitage, 
Deems,  J.  Cotton  Smith,  and  also  Messrs. 
Morris  K.  Jesup,  F.  Marquand,  Alexander 
Brown,  Maurice  A.  Wurts,  Edwin  W.  Rice, 
and  other  officers  and  managers  of  the  society. 

When  this  noble  man  passed  away,  Mr. 
McCullagh  felt  that  he  had  lost  a  true  friend, 
a  sincere  sympathizer,  a  brother  beloved ;  and 
he  wept  for  him  as  David  did  for  Jonathan. 

Other  pastors  and  Sunday-schools  in  after 
days  were  drawn  into  cordial  sympathy  with 


36  GOES  WEST. 

the  missionary  work  of  the  society.  The  War- 
ren Memorial  Sunday-school,  Preston  Street 
Union  Mission,  Walnut  Street  Presbyterian 
school,  Park  Mission  school,  and  others  also  be- 
came interested  in  Mr.  McCullagh's  work,  and 
were  liberal  contributors. 

On  his  regular  visits  he  made  many  friends 
in  all  the  churches  in  Louisville,  and  among 
the  business  men  generally.  The  sum  which 
he  raised  in  that  city,  for  the  American  Sun- 
day-School Union,  amounts  to  more  than  forty 
thousand  dollars. 

Great  results  sometimes  spring  from  small 
beginnings.  By  his  determination  not  to  travel 
on  Sunday  he  became  connected  with  these 
noble  workers,  which  led  to  important  results. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

IN   ILLINOIS. 

The  events  narrated  in  the  last  chapter  in- 
terrupted the  orderly  course  of  our  history; 
but  they  illustrate  the  truth  of  the  Scripture, 
"  Them  that  honour  me  I  will  honour,  and  they 
that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed" 
(1  Samuel  2:  30). 

Let  us  resume  our  narrative.  The  boat  left 
Louisville  on  Monday  morning,  and  Mr.  McCul- 
lagh  arrived  safely  at  Shawneetown.  He  at 
once  entered  the  corps  of  civil  engineers  en- 
gaged in  constructing  a  railroad  running  out 
from  Shawneetown.  The  country  through 
which  they  worked  was  infected  with  malaria. 
Chills  and  bilious  fever  were  almost  epidemic. 
Their  fare  consisted  of  bacon  and  corn-bread. 
The  five  engineers  with  whom  he  worked  were 
all  healthy  and  robust.  After  their  hard  work 
these  men  ate  heartily  of  this  coarse  food,  but 
Mr.  McCullagh  partook  very  sparingly  of  it. 
In  a  short  time  four  of  them  were  taken  with 

37 


38  IN  ILLINOIS. 

the  fever  and  died;  the  remaining  one  returned 
to  the  East.  Soon  afterwards  Mr.  McCullagh 
had  his  first  chill.  It  was  amusing  to  hear  him 
describe  it.  He  had  never  seen  any  one  with 
the  ague  until  he  lived  in  Illinois. 

He  went  with  Mr.  Crenshaw,  a  good  old 
Methodist  brother,  to  a  camp-meeting  which 
was  then  being  held.  A  camp-meeting  was 
something  entirely  new  to  him;  he  had  never 
heard  of  one  in  Scotland.  One  day  at  the 
meeting,  about  noon,  Mr.  McCullagh  had  a  hard 
chill.  Mr.  Crenshaw^  said,  "  Brother  Mac,  you 
know  what  a  chill  is  now,  and  they  are  not  very 
funny.  Come,  I  must  take  you  home ;  you  are 
in  for  a  hard  spell  of  illness."  This  good  man 
was  right ;  chill  followed  chill,  and  resulted  in 
a  violent  attack  of  fever.  He  was  sick  many 
weeks,  and  it  was  thought  he  could  not  recover. 
Great  suffering  was  caused  from  the  despond- 
ency and  depression  which  malarial  poison  pro- 
duces. 

Mr.  Crenshaw  nursed  him  like  a  brother. 
During  the  weary  days  of  his  convalescence 
Mr.  McCullagh  said,  "  Brother  Crenshaw,  I  do 
not  believe  I  am  going  to  get  well." 


THE  AGUE.  39 

^^  Tut !  nonsense,  man  !"  he  replied.  "  God 
has  a  great  work  for  you  to  do.  You  are  not 
going  to  die  until  that  work  is  done."  In  a 
strong,  sweet  voice  he  would  begin  to  sing : 

"  Come,  my  soul,  thy  suit  prepare, 
Jesus  loves  to  answer  prayer ; 
He  himself  has  bid  thee  pray, 
Therefore  will  not  say  thee  nay. 

"  Thou  art  coming  to  a  King, 
Large  petitions  with  thee  bring ; 
For  his  grace  and  power  are  such, 
None  can  ever  ask  too  much." 

Then  this  good  man  would  get  on  his  knees 
and,  with  the  tears  streaming  down  his  cheeks, 
pray  that  God  would  comfort  the  spirit  and 
heal  the  body  of  the  sick  brother.  As  Mr. 
McCullagh  often  expressed  it,  "  Brother  Cren- 
shaw could  sing  like  a  thrush,  and  out-pray  the 
natives." 

The  patient  improved  slowly.  Finally, 
Brother  Crenshaw  said,  "  Mac,  you  have  been  in 
that  bed  long  enough.  To-morrow  morning,  at 
five  o'clock,  my  son  Bill  will  have  the  horse  at 
the  door,  and  you  are  to  be  up  and  dressed,  and 
he  will  drive  you  four  miles  just  after  sun-up." 


40  IN  ILLINOIS. 

"Why,  Brother  Crenshaw,  I  could  not  get 
up  if  you  would  give  me  your  farm." 

"  You  are  in  my  house,  sir,  and  my  word  is 
law." 

The  next  morning,  at  half-past  four  o'clock, 
Brother  Crenshaw's  commanding  tones  were 
heard :  "  Get  up  quick.  Bill,  and  go  get  the 
horse;  Mac  will  be  ready  in  a  few  minutes, 
and  you  must  drive  him  four  miles  before  break- 
fast." These  words  brought  despair  to  the 
heart  of  the  poor  sufferer.  He  feebly  arose 
and  began  to  dress.  In  a  short  time  he  was 
going  to  the  gate,  leaning  on  Mr.  Crenshaw's 
arm.  When  he  returned  from  the  drive  the 
sun  looked  brighter  and  the  birds  sang  more 
sweetly  than  he  had  ever  known.  Brother 
Crenshaw's  heroic  treatment  was  just  what  was 
needed ;  and  after  continuing  it  some  time,  the 
patient  improved  wonderfully.  He  never  ceased 
to  love  this  good  man  for  his  kindness,  and 
always  held  him  in  grateful  remembrance. 

Mr.  McCuUagh  now  commenced  his  Sunday- 
school  work  in  southern  Illinois  in  earnest. 
This  region  was  called  "  Egypt,"  on  account  of 
the  moral  darkness  which  prevailed  in  that  sec- 


THE  FLATHEADS.  41 

tion.  He  commenced  vigorous  work  in  Massac 
county,  where  a  large  number  of  outlaws  had 
settled.  They  were  called  "Flatheads,"  and 
had  a  majority  in  some  of  the  precincts,  and 
could  elect  one  of  their  number  as  county  offi- 
cer. It  was  regarded  unsafe  to  take  a  good 
horse  into  the  county,  for  it  was  sure  to  be 
claimed  by  one  of  the  "  Flatheads."  The  case 
would  be  tried  before  an  "esquire"  or  local 
magistrate  and  a  jury  who  were  "  Flatheads." 
Of  course  the  traveller  would  lose  his  horse. 
Mr.  McCuUagh,  strange  to  say,  was  cordially 
welcomed,  and  organized  a  number  of  Sunday- 
schools  among  these  people.  Some  of  the  grand- 
est results  of  his  life-work  were  accomplished 
in  "Egypt." 

While  laboring  in  Illinois  he  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  heard 
him  deliver  political  speeches,  and  on  one  oc- 
casion carried  him  a  number  of  miles  in  his 
Sunday-school  buggy.  When  he  told  Mr.  Lin- 
coln that  he  intended  to  move  to  Kentucky,  he 
replied,  "God  bless  old  Kentuck !  God  bless 
old  Kentuck !  it  is  my  native  state." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

GOES  TO   KENTUCKY. 

Having  heard  much  about  Kentucky,  her 
whole-souled  people  and  her  religious  destitu- 
tion, Mr.  McCullagh  resolved  to  make  that  his 
permanent  home.  In  November,  1839,  he 
moved  to  Henderson  county. 

During  the  winter  he  organized  his  first  Sun- 
day-school in  Kentucky.  It  was  started  in  a 
school -house  not  far  from  where  "Posey  Chapel" 
church  now  stands.  About  the  time  the  school 
was  fairly  organized  for  work,  a  flock  of  sheep, 
grazing  near  by,  which  had  taken  possession  of 
the  school-room  the  day  before,  were  chased  by 
some  dogs.  They,  to  flee  for  safety,  made  a 
break  for  the  school-house.  The  door  was  open 
and  they  rushed  in,  the  old  ram  leading  them ; 
but  finding  it  occupied,  he  ran  on  through  the 
house  and  jumped  out  of  the  window,  and  the 
whole  flock  followed  him. 

In  March,  1840,  Mr.  McCullagh  moved  to 
the  town  of  Henderson,  which  continued  to  be 

42 


SETTLES  AT  HENDERSON.  43 

his  home  through  life.  At  this  time  there  was 
no  Sunday-school  in  Henderson,  and  none  in 
Kentucky  for  a  distance  of  seventy-five  miles, 
except  the  little  one  that  he  had  started  in  the 
county.  The  destitution  stirred  his  soul.  He 
soon  announced  that  a  Sunday-school  meeting 
V70uld  be  held  in  the  old  seminary.  On  Sun- 
day, an  hour  before  the  meeting,  he  went  up 
and  down  the  streets  with  a  hand-bell,  like  an 
auctioneer,  urging  the  people  to  come.  This 
Union  school,  which  he  organized,  superin- 
tended and  fostered,  had  a  remarkable  his- 
tory. It  proved  to  be  a  marvellous  power  for 
good.  It  continued  as  a  Union  school  for  a 
number  of  years.  As  the  town  grew  and  the 
various  denominations  increased  in  strength, 
they  gradually  withdrew  to  organize  schools  of 
their  own!  This  old  Union  school  was  the  fore- 
runner of  the  ten  churches  and  fourteen  Sun- 
day-schools now  in  Henderson.  Many  of  the 
office-bearers  and  prominent  members  in  these 
churches  studied  their  first  Bible  lesson  in  the 
old  Union  school. 

In  the  spring  of  1840  Mr.  McCullagh  opened 
the  Henderson  Eclectic  Institute,  a  school  for 


44  GOES  TO  KENTUCKY. 

young  men  and  boys.  The  success  of  this  en- 
terprise was  phenomenal.  Good  teachers  were 
scarce  in  those  times.  His  school  was  soon 
filled  with  the  most  promising  young  men  of 
Henderson  and  the  surrounding  country,  and  it 
became  necessary  for  him  to  engage  assistants. 
He  continued  this  school,  which  was  a  growing 
success,  until  he  gave  it  up  to  devote  his  whole 
time  to  the  work  of  The  American  Sunday- 
School  Union.  The  influence  for  good  which 
he  exerted  in  the  school-room  cannot  be  esti- 
mated. Starling's  History  of  Henderson  says : 
"  A  majority  of  the  young  men  of  the  town,  at 
that  time,  owe  their  education  to  Kev.  John 
McCuUagh.  He  worked  indefatigably  in  the 
interest  of  educating  the  young.  He  was  ex- 
tremely popular  with  the  children,  and  was  per- 
haps the  best-known  man  in  the  county.  He 
took  great  pride  in  his  scholars,  and  affection- 
ately spoke  of  them  as  'my  boys.'  Many  of 
them  have  held  high  positions  of  honor  and 
trust ;  some  being  ministers,  congressmen,  law- 
yers, bankers  and  merchants." 

His  Sunday-school  work  during  this  time  was 
simply  amazing.     Western  Kentucky  was  de- 


MISSION  WORK.  45 

veloping  rapidly,  and  many  new  settlers  were 
moving  in.  He  was  constantly  pushing  forward 
vigorously  to  start  a  Sunday-school  at  every 
new  point.  On  Friday  afternoon  his  pony 
"  Charry"  was  hitched  to  the  fence.  As  soon 
as  school  closed  he  was  off  to  an  adjoining 
county,  and  would  ride  probably  thirty  miles 
that  afternoon  and  evening.  On  Saturday  he 
would  be  riding  in  every  direction,  visiting  the 
people,  making  Sunday-school  speeches  at  coun- 
try stores  and  spreading  the  notice  of  his  ap- 
pointments. On  Sunday  he  would  organize 
probably  two  schools  six  or  eight  miles  apart, 
and  start  for  home  late  in  the  afternoon,  some- 
times not  getting  back  before  midnight.  Mon- 
day morning,  with  a  smiling  face,  he  would  be 
ready  to  open  school. 

The  hardships  in  this  work  were  often  very 
great.  Sometimes  when  in  the  midst  of  the 
forest,  ten  o'clock  at  night,  miles  from  any 
house,  a  great  storm  would  break  upon  him, 
the  darkness  black  as  Egypt  and  the  rain 
falling  in  torrents;  his  pony  would  tremble  like 
a  leaf  at  the  mighty  bursts  of  thunder  and  the 
falling  of  the  trees  around  them.     The  mission- 


46  GOES  TO  KENTUCKY, 

ary  would  often  be  forced  to  stop  for  an  hour, 
drenched  with  the  rain,  waiting  for  the  fury  of 
the  tempest  to  subside,  so  as  to  make  it  safe  to 
proceed. 

Another  difficulty  was  to  keep  in  the  right 
way.  The  country  was  new,  covered  with 
forests,  and  the  roads  very  poor  and  circuitous. 
Some  one  has  aptly  said,  "  The  roads  in  these 
parts  for  the  first  mile  or  two  were  pretty  good, 
for  the  next  three  miles  they  were  rough,  and 
then  they  dwindled  down  to  a  bridle-path;  after 
that  they  were  not  much  more  than  a  sheep- 
track;  then  they  faded  into  a  squirrel-track, 
and  at  last  they  ran  up  a  tree."  A  witty  man 
once  told  him,  "  This  road  commences  here  and 
ends  'nowhar.'" 

On  one  occasion,  having  lost  his  way,  he  saw 
a  cabin  in  the  midst  of  a  corn-field.  He  shouted 
"  Halloo !"  but  no  one  heard  him.  He  then 
dismounted  and,  getting  over  the  fence,  started 
for  the  house.  When  about  halfway,  two  fierce 
dogs  rushed  toward  him.  What  could  he  do? 
To  run  meant  to  be  torn  in  pieces,  to  stand  still 
seemed  to  be  the  same.  There  was  a  fallen 
tree  lying  near.     He  jumped  behind  the  tree, 


DODGING  DOGS.  47 

and  took  off  his  straw  hat  and  waved  it  rapidly 
at  the  enraged  dogs.  For  a  moment  they  seemed 
to  fear  there  was  some  hidden  evil  in  the  hat, 
but  their  courage  soon  revived.  When  he  struck 
one  dog  in  the  face  with  the  hat  to  make  him 
stay  on  his  own  side  of  the  log,  he  tore  a  piece 
out  of  it.  By  this  time  the  other  dog  was 
nearly  over  and  required  the  attention  of  the 
hat,  from  which  he  also  took  a  piece.  The  hat 
was  being  rapidly  torn  into  shreds.  To  his 
great  joy  he  was  soon  reinforced  by  a  man,  who 
came  running  from  the  cabin,  with  a  big  club, 
and  beat  the  dogs  into  subjection,  and  gave  the 
missionary  full  directions,  so  that  he  went  on 
his  way  rejoicing. 


FIRST   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH,    HENDERSON,    KY. 


,^  "'■  '"  \.:0'fpM^Sh^'^^^'^^^fl^ 


PRIMITIVE    SCHOOL-HOUSE    IN    KENTCCKY. 


CHAPTER  VIL 

WORK    IN    HENDERSON. 

As  it  was  with  the  apostles,  who  commenced 
their  work  in  Jerusalem,  so  Mr.  McCuUagh  re- 
garded his  own  home  as  the  proper  place  to 
begin  Christian  effort.  After  getting  the  Hen- 
derson Union  Sunday-school  into  successful 
operation,  his  next  step  was  to  build  a  church. 
The  facts  connected  with  this  effort  are  taken 
from  the  excellent  article  in  "  Starling's  History 
of  Henderson,"  prepared  by  W.  J.  Marshall. 

In  1840  there  were  about  fifteen  or  twenty 
Presbyterians  scattered  through  Henderson 
county.  The  Posey  brothers  and  their  fam- 
ilies, and  a  few  mothers  in  Israel,  still  clung 
to  the  covenant. 

"At  this  time,"  says  the  above  history,  "a 
young  stranger,  whom,  it  seems,  a  kind  Prov- 
idence had  especially  fitted  and  sent  to  accom- 
plish a  great  work  for  the  Church,  came  to 
Henderson.  He  made  friends  wherever  he 
went,  and  ere  long  he  had  gained  both  the 

4  49 


50  WORK  IN  IIENBEBSON. 

esteem  and  confidence  of  the  whole  community. 
I  allude  to  John  McCullagh,  to  whom,  under 
God,  the  Church  at  Henderson  owes  more,  for 
the  prosperity  she  has  since  enjoyed,  than  to 
any  other  person.  Being  an  earnest  worker, 
he  could  not  sit  by  contented  while  the  cause 
of  Zion  languished,  her  people  being  as  sheep 
without  a  shepherd,  having  no  spiritual  home. 

"  The  Sunday-school  which  he  had  organized 
was  a  success,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  this  young 
brother  was  contagious,  and  soon  manifested 
itself  in  the  church.  His  motto  was,  '  Expect 
great  things  from  God;  attempt  great  things 
for  God.'  He  had  a  church  meeting  held,  at 
which  new  officers  were  elected,  and  arrange- 
ments were  made  with  Rev.  J.  V.  Dodge  to 
preach  for  them. 

"  Mr.  McCuUagh's  next  move  was  to  build  a 
church,  that  was  not  to  cost  less  than  six 
thousand  dollars ;  he  agreeing  to  raise  money. 
It  was  a  bold  move.  It  was  moreover  re- 
garded by  many  as  absurd  and  preposterous, 
for  a  church  organization,  with  a  handful  of 
scattered  members,  to  talk  about  building  a 
six  thousand  dollar  church  in  a  sleepy  village. 


MONEY  FOR  A   CHURCH.  51 

That  amount  of  money,  in  those  times  and  cir- 
cumstances, was  as  large  a  sum  as  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  would  be  at  the  present  time.  It 
was  a  bold  enterprise ;  but  in  its  boldness  lay 
its  strength.  The  church  members  gave  nobly, 
and  the  community,  pleased  at  the  prospect  of 
such  a  substantial  improvement,  responded  with 
liberal  subscriptions. 

"  To  raise  the  money,  however,  was  no  easy 
undertaking ;  and  he  resolved  to  hazard  it  all 
on  one  bold  move,  which,  if  accomplished, 
would  give  the  assurance  of  success.  He  got 
up  a  paper  on  which  he  was  to  have  two  thou- 
sand dollars  subscribed  by  not  more  than  ten 
persons ;  the  subscriptions  were  not  to  be  bind- 
ing unless  the  whole  amount  was  raised  within 
sixty  days. 

"After  gleaning  the  field,  he  had  seventeen 
hundred  dollars  subscribed  by  nine  persons. 
He  was  now  in  a  dilemma,  and  knew  not 
where  to  go.  He  speaks  of  it  as  follows : 
'  In  this  dark  and  trying  hour  I  went  to  the 
mercy-seat  for  light,  and  spent  a  sleepless 
night  wrestling  in  prayer.  In  the  early  dawn 
the  light  came.     A  voice  seemed  to  say,  "  Go 


52  WORK  IN  HENDERSON. 

and  see  Mrs.  E.  B.  Stites,  and  tell  her  your 
desire  to  secure  '  a  place  for  the  Lord,  an  hab- 
itation for  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob/  It  all 
depends  upon  her;  she  will  not  refuse."  I 
went  without  delay,  and  was  cordially  received. 
She  inquired  how  I  was  getting  on  in  raising  the 
two  thousand  dollars.  With  a  sad  heart  and 
in  trembling  words  I  attempted  to  tell  her  the 
exact  state  of  the  case ;  that,  so  far  as  I  knew, 
everything  depended  on  some  one  of  God's 
jewels  giving  the  balance  of  the  two  thousand 
dollars.  I  talked  on  and  on,  at  great  length, 
fearing  to  give  her  a  chance  to  refuse.  She 
seemed  greatly  amused,  and  at  last  replied, 
"  Well,  my  young  brother,  I  knew  what  you 
camfi  for,  and  what  all  this  long  talk  meant. 
You  shall  have  the  three  hundred  dollars,  with 
great  pleasure.  I  laid  it  aside  for  you,  and 
now  just  go  ahead  and  raise  the  four  thousand 
dollars."  I  started  off  singing  the  long-metre 
doxology,  shouting  now  and  then,  "  Glory, 
Hallelujah !" ' 

"He  raised  the  money.  The  church  was 
built;  and  when  it  was  dedicated  a  glorious 
revival  followed,  and  some  fifty  of  the  most 


MASS  MEETINGS.  53 

prominent  citizens  were  converted.  This 
church  has  continued  to  grow  and  prosper, 
until  it  is  now  among  the  strongest  churches 
in  Kentucky." 

In  1884,  the  congregation  having  outgrown 
their  church  building,  a  colony  went  out  to 
organize  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church. 
Mr.  McCullagh  was  in  cordial  sympathy  with 
the  plan,  and  aided  it  both  by  contributions 
and  by  wise  counsel.  This  church  now  has 
over  two  hundred  members,  and  owns  property 
worth  twelve  thousand  dollars. 

For  more  than  forty  years  he  visited  annu- 
ally every  Sunday-school  or  church  in  the 
town,  or  would  hold  mass  meetings  to  which 
all  were  invited.  These  meetings  were  largely 
attended.  In  his  earnest,  thrilling  manner  he 
recounted  the  progress  and  triumph  of  the 
Sunday-school  cause  during  the  year.  As  he 
poured  out  a  tide  of  facts,  which  he  called 
"God's  arguments,"  there  were  few  who  did 
not  receive  fresh  inspiration,  and  make  new 
resolutions  to  enlarge  their  Christian  effort  in 
the  future. 

In  March,  1852,  a  writer  for  the  Sunday- 


64  WORK  IN  HENDERSON. 

School  Journal,  then  published  by  the  Amer- 
ican Sunday-School  Union,  in  describing  one 
of  these  Union  meetings,  after  giving  an  ac- 
count of  Mr.  McCullagh's  address,  says,  "  The 
rector  of  the  Episcopal  church  arose  and  said, 
'1  call  upon  all  to  hold  up  the  hands  of  the 
Sunday-school  missionary,  as  Aaron  and  Hur 
held  up  the  hands  of  Moses.  I  will  stand  on 
one  side  of  Brother  McCullagh;  who  will 
stand  on  the  other?  I  will  hold  up  one  of 
his  hands ;  who  will  hold  up  the  other  ?'  The 
Presbyterian  minister  said,  '  The  time  for 
making  speeches  in  behalf  of  the  American 
Sunday-School  Union  has  gone  by;  its  great 
utility  is  acknowledged  by  all.'  He  urged  the 
audience  to  contribute  liberally  to  the  cause. 
The  Baptist  minister  said,  '  That  as  long  as 
this  great  work  was  well  sustained  there  was 
no  danger  in  the  future  for  our  country.'  The 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  minister  expressed 
his  hearty  co-operation  in  this  work.  The 
pastor  of  the  Methodist  church  made  an  ad- 
dress full  of  timely  suggestions." 

There  are  but  few  persons  who  have  been 
raised  in  Henderson  county  who  did  not  know 


FINDS  A   WIFE.  55 

Mr.  McCuUagh,  and  cannot  recall  his  Sunday- 
school  stories. 

Shortly  after  coming  to  Henderson,  he  met 
Miss  Lucy  M.  Lyne,  a  handsome  young  lady. 
He  fell  in  love  with  her  at  first  sight,  but  for 
conscience's  sake  held  his  affections  in  check. 
At  that  time  she  was  fond  of  attending  balls 
and  theatres ;  and  he  felt  that  a  woman  of  the 
world  could  not  sympathize  with  his  work,  nor 
be  a  proper  help  meet  in  such  a  cause.  He 
still  loved  her  secretly.  About  a  year  after 
this,  one  morning  at  breakfast,  some  one  asked 
him  if  he  had  heard  the  news.  "No,"  he  re- 
plied; "what  is  it?" 

"Why,  Miss  Lucy  Lyne  has  joined  the 
church,  and  has  given  up  worldly  amuse- 
ments." 

He  restrained  all  feelings  of  joy,  but  re- 
solved to  press  his  suit.  In  this  he  was  suc- 
cessful ;  and  they  were  married,  February  16, 
1842.  She  was  a  devoted  wife,  and  entered 
heartily  into  the  spirit  of  his  Sunday-school 
work.  Six  children  were  born  to  them,  three 
of  whom  have  entered  into  rest.  His  absence 
from  home  on  long  missionary  trips  greatly  in- 


56  WORK  IN  HENDERSON. 

creased  her  responsibilities  in  the  care  of  the 
large  family  of  little  children.  She  knew  how 
greatly  his  life  was  endangered  by  the  acci- 
dents of  travel  and  the  hardships  which  he  en- 
countered, and  was  fully  aware  of  her  own  un- 
protected condition  when  he  was  away.  But  she 
was  a  woman  of  great  moral  courage,  of  sober 
judgment,  of  an  earnest  spiritual  nature  and  fer- 
vent piety.  She  lived  a  beautiful  life  of  faith  and 
consecration.  She  died  February,  1859.  Her 
last  words  were,  "  Precious  Jesus,  all  is  well." 
His  love  for  her  amounted  almost  to  idolatry, 
and  he  never  married  again.  One  night,  about 
twenty-eight  years  after  her  death,  he  was  tell- 
ing of  some  of  the  dangers  he  had  encountered, 
and  of  some  remarkable  escapes  he  had  made. 
He  said,  "  I  cannot  understand  it ;  these  things 
seem  almost  incredible."  Just  then  he  looked 
up  at  her  portrait,  hanging  over  the  mantel, 
and  said,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  ^"'Oh  yes,  it 
is  she.  ^Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits 
sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be 
heirs  of  salvation  ?'  She  has  been  my  blessed 
guardian  angel."  He  then  quoted  these  beau- 
tiful lines : 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  ABSENT.  57 

Alone  I  walk  the  peopled  city, 

Where  each  seems  happy  with  his  own ; 

0  friends,  I  ask  not  for  your  pity,— 

I  walk  alone. 

The  gold  is  rifled  from  the  coffer, 

The  blade  is  stolen  from  the  sheath ; 
Life  has  but  one  more  boon  to  offer, 
And  that  is  death. 

Yet  well  I  know  the  voice  of  duty, 

And  therefore  life  and  health  must  crave, 
Though  she  who  gave  the  world  its  beauty 
Is  in  her  grave. 

1  live,  O  lost  one,  for  the  living 

Who  drew  their  earliest  life  from  thee ; 
And  wait  until  with  glad  thanksgiving 
I  shall  be  free. 

For  life  to  me  is  but  a  station. 

Wherein  apart  a  traveller  stands. 
One  absent  long  from  home  and  nation— 
In  other  lands. 

And  I,  as  he  who  stands  and  listens. 

Amid  the  twilight's  chill  and  gloom, 
To  hear,  approaching  in  the  distance, 
The  train  for  home. 

For  death  shall  bring  another  meeting, 

Beyond  the  shadows  of  the  tomb ; 
On  yonder  shore  is  she  now  waiting. 
Until  I  come. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ENTERS   AS   A   REGULAR. 

During  all  the  years  in  which  young  McCul- 
lagh  had  been  working  as  a  volunteer  mission- 
ary, he  bought  large  supplies  of  books  from  the 
American  Sunday- School  Union.  After  coming 
to  Kentucky,  his  purchases  had  increased  large- 
ly until  1841,  when  they  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  Rev.  J.  H.  Huber,  of  Louisville,  Ky., 
superintendent  of  the  society's  work  in  the 
South. 

Mr.  Huber  came  to  Henderson,  as  he  ex- 
pressed it,  "to  find  out  something  about  the 
young  man  who  was  ordering  so  many  Union 
books  and  papers  for  Sunday-schools  in  and 
around  Henderson."  He  inquired,  "Who  gave 
you  authority  to  organize  Union  Sabbath- 
schools  ?"  Mr.  McCullagh  replied,  "I  hold  my 
commission  from  the  great  Shepherd  himself, 
and  it  reads  as  follows,  ^Feed  my  lambs.'  I 
claim  only  to  be  a  volunteer." 

Mr.  Huber  promptly  replied,  "I  came  to 

68 


ENLISTS  FOR  LIFE.  59 

Henderson  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  get  you 
to  enlist  in  the  regular  army  of  the  American 
Sunday-School  Union,  and  I  do  not  intend  to 
leave  town  until  the  object  of  my  visit  has  been 
accomplished.  A  man  who  loves  the  work  so 
much  as  to  labor  for  years  without  a  cent  of 
pay  cannot  fail  to  make  a  good  permanent  mis- 
sionary." 

After  considering  the  many  advantages  which 
would  result  from  working  as  an  authorized 
agent  of  the  society,  Mr.  McCullagh  accepted  a 
commission  to  labor  in  Kentucky,  at  a  salary  of 
one  dollar  per  day  for  each  day  that  he  worked. 
He  often  said,  "I  then  enlisted  not  for  one 
year,  nor  for  three  years,  nor  for  thirty  years, 
but  for  life.  And  I  want  my  name  to  remain 
on  the  roll  of  the  army  of  the  American  Sun- 
day-School Union,  like  the  Huguenot  captain 
who  received  his  death-wound  on  the  battle- 
field. His  last  request  to  his  superior  officer 
was  that  his  name  should  remain  on  the  roll  of 
the  regiment,  and  when  he  was  called  his  com- 
rade should  step  out  of  the  ranks  and  say, 
'Here — died  on  the  battle-field.'"'-' 

*  Mr,  McCullagh's  son,  the  Eev.  Joseph  H.  McCullagh, 


60  ENTERS  AS  A  REGULAR. 

Great  as  had  been  his  efforts  before,  he  now 
felt  that  they  must  be  redoubled.  If,  as  a  vol- 
unteer, he  had  been  like  Saul,  and  slain  thou- 
sands of  the  enemies  of  righteousness;  as  a 
commissioned  missionary,  he  must  be  like  David, 
and  slay  his  tens  of  thousands.  His  missionary 
trips  became  longer  and  more  extended,  reach- 
ing remote  and  destitute  points.  In  1846,  the 
Sunday-school  Missionary  Association  of  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church,  Louisville,  an 
auxiliary  in  the  work  of  The  American  Sunday- 
School  Union,  pledged  to  pay  him  three  hundred 
dollars  for  two  hundred  days'  work,  he  bearing 
his  own  travelling  expenses.  As  the  result  of 
these  two  hundred  days'  labor,  he  organized 
fifty  new  Sunday-schools,  containing  three  thou- 
sand one  hundred  and  seventy-four  teachers  and 
scholars. 

These  schools  were  distributed  in  eight  coun- 
ties of  Kentucky,  three  of  Indiana,  and  one  of 
Illinois.  In  one  year  he  organized  ninety  new 
schools,  with  a  membership  of  six  thousand 

now  answers  to  the  roll-call  of  his  father's  name,  and  stands 
in  his  father's  place  as  his  faithful  successor  in  the  society's 
southern  work. — Editor. 


ON  HORSEBACK.  Gl 

nine  hundred  and  twenty-six  persons.  During 
his  labors  he  organized  schools  in  seventy-five 
counties  in  Kentucky,  and  also  many  schools 
through  southern  Indiana  and  Illinois. 

Nearly  all  the  travel  required  to  accomplish 
this  work  was  done  on  horseback,  and  great 
hardships  were  endured.  In  speaking  of  it,  he 
says,  "I  have  often  gone  three  months  with 
one  suit  of  clothes;  saddle-bags  packed  with 
shirts,  collars,  etc.,  and  a  few  books,  my  main 
supply  being  sent  ahead :  so  that  on  getting 
soaking  wet,  which  was  not  an  unusual  occur- 
rence, I  had  to  let  my  clothes  dry  on  my  back. 
I  swam  rivers  and  creeks,  at  the  risk  of  my  life, 
to  reach  an  appointment." 

The  years  from  1841  to  1852,  during  which 
time  he  thus  worked  as  a  missionary  for  the  so- 
ciety, are  in  some  respects  the  most  interesting 
portion  of  his  life.  In  the  chapters  that  are  to 
follow,  we  will  endeavor  to  glean  a  few  sheaves 
from  this  great  harvest-field  of  facts  and  adven- 
ture. It  is  sufficient  now  to  say,  in  a  general 
way,  that  his  reputation  as  a  Sunday-school 
preacher  soon  spread  over  Kentucky.  When- 
ever he  made  an  appointment,  even  though  it 


62  ENTERS  AS  A  EEGULAB. 

was  at  a  place  he  had  never  visited,  there  was 
sure  to  be  a  crowd.  Those  who  opposed  the 
work  would  come  because  they  had  heard  that 
he  was  a  '' mighty  interesting  speaker,  and  was 
a  great  man  for  facts."  Men,  women  and  chil- 
dren came,  some  mothers  bringing  their  babies. 
At  one  time  he  counted  twenty  babies  lying 
asleep  about  the  platform  where  he  was  speak- 
ing. 

His  social  intercourse  with  the  people  was  as 
effective  as  his  public  addresses.  He  was  re- 
ceived with  great  hospitality.  After  arriving 
at  the  house  of  his  host,  it  was  not  long  before 
he  asked  for  the  good  book,  to  conduct  family 
worship.  He  soon  made  friends  with  all  the 
children,  and  learned  their  names,  and  delighted 
them  with  interesting  stories.  When  it  was 
known  that  he  was  to  stop  at  a  certain  house, 
a  number  of  the  neighbors  would  find  it  con- 
venient to  make  a  short  call  of  several  hours, 
"just  to  hear  that  man  talk."  During  the  long 
summer  afternoons  or  far  into  the  night,  his 
little  audience,  with  the  colored  people  stand- 
ing at  the  door,  listened  with  deep  interest  to 
his  anecdotes.     Nor  were  these  mere  talks,  but, 


SEBMONS  IN  THE  HOMES.  63 

in  fact,  household  sermons  disguised  to  suit  the 
capacity  of  his  audiences.  Many  a  spiritual 
truth  was  fixed  in  their  memory  with  a  thrill- 
ing fact.  Sunday-schools,  temperance,  history 
and  religion  were  the  web  and  woof  of  his 
theme.  In  an  adroit  way,  he  dealt  the  prevail- 
ing vices  of  the  community  deadly  strokes,  and 
cheered  and  aroused  God's  people. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MISSIONARY   EXPERIENCES. 

On  one  occasion  he  made  an  appointment  to 
organize  a  Sunday-school  at  a  district  school- 
house  in  Union  county.  When  he  arrived, 
several  hundred  people  were  assembled  in  the 
yard.  The  windows  were  all  nailed  down  hard 
and  fast,  and  the  door  nailed  up  with  heavy 
boards  and  spikes.  Three  big,  rough-looking 
men  came  up  and  said,  "  Are  you  the  Sunday- 
school  man  ?" 

"Yes,  lam." 

"  Well,  we  wish  to  ask  you  one  question : 
do  you  propose  to  teach  the  Bible  in  your 
school?" 

"  Most  assuredly  I  do.  Who  ever  heard  of  a 
Sunday-school  without  the  Bible  ?  Where  did 
you  fellows  come  from?  The  Bible  is  to  be 
our  text-book." 

"Well,"  they  replied,  "that  is  what  the 
priest  told  us.  He  said  you  wanted  the  people 
to  study  that  wicked  book.     We  are  Catholics, 

64 


POPERY.  65 

and  we  three  are  the  trustees  of  this  school, 
and  we  have  nailed  up  the  doors,  and  you  shall 
never  carry  the  Bible  into  that  house." 

Mr.  McCullagh  was  thoroughly  indignant, 
and  mounting  a  stump  cried  out,  "  Friends  and 
fellow  citizens, — ye  who  believe  the  Bible  to 
be  the  word  of  God  and  the  only  hope  of  our 
republic, — hearken  unto  me.  We  are  law-abid- 
ing citizens;  let  us  leave  the  school  grounds 
and  adjourn  to  yon  grove." 

The  whole  crowd  followed  him — the  Cath- 
olics also  going  from  curiosity.  He  there  de- 
livered a  magnetic  and  earnest  address  upon 
the  history  and  aims  of  the  Romish  Church, 
illustrating  its  cruelty,  bigotry  and  superstition. 
These  points  were  all  riveted  with  telling  facts, 
which  he  had  witnessed  in  Ireland  and  else- 
where. He  showed  that  the  tendency  of  Popery 
was  to  drag  its  people  down  to  poverty  and 
ignorance.  Some  of  the  Catholics  attempted 
to  interrupt  him ;  but  so  keen  were  his  retorts 
that  they  soon  kept  still. 

To  illustrate  one  of  his  points  he  said,  "  They 
have  a  legend  in  Europe  that  a  man  went  to 
sleep  in  the  days  of  the  Reformation,  and  that 

5 


66  MISSIONABY  EXPERIENCES. 

he  slept  for  more  than  two  hundred  years.  He 
awoke  a  short  time  ago  and  commenced  visiting 
different  countries.  He  went  to  Protestant  Eng- 
land and  Scotland  and  Prussia.  The  changes 
were  so  great  that  he  believed  he  had  waked 
up  on  another  planet.  Railroads,  telegraphs, 
steamboats,  trade  and  commerce,  schools,  col- 
leges and  manufactories  were  found  on  every 
side.  '  This  cannot  be  the  same  world,'  he  said. 
He  then  went  to  Spain  and  Italy.  '  Yes,  in- 
deed, I  am  in  the  same  world.  This  is  old 
Spain,  just  as  I  left  her  two  hundred  years 
ago :  no  enterprise ;  everything  dead ;  eighty 
per  cent,  of  the  people  can  neither  read  nor 
write.  The  same  old  Romish  Church  still  has 
full  sway.  This  is  old  Italy,  where  the  pope 
has  been  ruler  for  a  thousand  years.  Seventy- 
three  per  cent,  of  the  people  cannot  read ;  and 
this  glorious  land  is  swarming  with  beggars.' 
Ah,  my  friends,  what  is  it  that  makes  the  dif- 
ference in  these  countries  ?" 

"  It  is  the  Bible,"  the  crowd  shouted. 

"Yet,"  cried  he,  "this  same  old  man  of  the 
Tiber  is  at  work  in  this  country.  Look  at  that 
school-house  door  nailed  up  to  keep  out  the 


CLAW-HAMMER  SCHOOL.  67 

Bible.  By  the  grace  of  God,  and  with  the 
help  of  intelligent  American  citizens,  I  purpose 
to  organize  a  Sunday-school  in  this  grove  to- 
day that  shall  act  as  a  claw-hammer  to  draw 
out  those  nails  of  ignorance  and  superstition." 

The  school  was  started,  and  at  the  election 
which  was  held  shortly  after,  the  three  Cath- 
olic trustees  were  defeated  and  three  Protestant 
trustees  elected.  This  "claw-hammer"  Sun- 
day-school pulled  out  the  nails,  and  the  Bible 
went  into  the  school-house. 

The  circulation  of  religious  books  he  regarded 
as  one  of  the  most  important  features  of  the 
work.  He  was  accustomed  to  say,  "  Who  can 
estimate  the  power  and  influence  of  a  good 
book?  When  the  living  minister  delivers  a 
gospel  sermon  to  a  few  hundred  people,  he 
uses  the  means  ordained  of  God  for  their  con- 
version. Then  let  him  commit  the  thoughts 
and  arguments  which  God  has  blessed,  to  the 
printer,  and  by  their  multiplication  through 
the  press  he  becomes  the  preacher  of  a  thou- 
sand sermons.  On  the  day  of  Pentecost  three 
thousand  were  converted  by  Peter's  spoken 
sermon;  but  who  shall  tell  us  of  the  tens  of 


68  MISSIONARY  EXPERIENCES. 

thousands  who  have  been  blessed  by  reading 
the  printed  report  of  that  remarkable  dis- 
course ?" 

rt  was  McCullagh's  object  to  induce  his 
Sunday-schools  to  purchase  good  books  to  the 
extent  of  their  ability.  These  he  supplemented 
by  donations  from  the  society.  He  also  scat- 
tered books  and  papers  by  the  wayside  and  in 
the  homes  he  visited.  The  following  will  illus- 
trate what  some  of  these  books  accomplished : 

The  Books  in  the  Furrow, — When  riding  along 
Highland  Creek,  he  suddenly  came  to  a  clear- 
ing, and  saw  a  man  plowing  in  the  field.  The 
man  was  cursing  his  mules  at  a  terrible  rate. 
Mr.  McCullagh  perceived  he  was  half  drunk, 
and  looking  in  his  saddle-bags  found  two  books 
published  by  the  society — "  The  Drama  of 
Drunkenness"  and  "  Ralph  Moore,  the  Profane 
Boy."  The  plowman  soon  went  around  the 
hill  with  his  team.  McCullagh  dismounted 
and  ran  to  the  furrow  in  which  the  plow  should 
come  in  the  round.  He  opened  the  books, 
placed  them  in  the  furrow,  and  then  ran  hastily 
back  and  concealed  himself  behind  a  tree  to  see 
what  would  happen. 


BOOKS  IN  THE  FURROW.  69 

When  the  mules  came  near  the  books  they 
stopped  and  snorted  and  jumped  to  one  side. 
The  man  again  swore  at  them,  but  soon  went 
around  to  see  what  had  frightened  them. 

"  Two  books !"  said  he  with  a  rough  excla- 
mation. "  How  did  they  get  here  ?"  He  looked 
around  in  every  direction,  but  could  see  no 
one ;  then  stood  gazing  up  into  the  sky  to  see 
if  they  had  dropped  down  from  there.  Finally 
he  sat  down  on  the  beam  of  his  plow  to  look 
at  the  pictures,  and  commenced  to  read  the 
books.  The  missionary  withdrew  unperceived, 
wondering  what  would  be  the  result  of  this 
arrow  from  a  bow  drawn  at  a  venture. 

About  a  year  after  this  occurrence  he  organ- 
ized a  Sunday-school  within  three  miles  of  this 
place.  When  the  library  was  opened,  a  man 
came  forward  and  looking  into  one  of  the  books 
saw  the  name  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union,  and  asked,  "Mr.  McCuUagh,  did  you 
pass  along  Highland  Creek  about  a  year  ago  ? 
If  so,  you  must  go  home  with  me;  I  have 
something  to  show  you." 

On  reaching  the  house  he  brought  out  the  two 
books,  saying,  "Did  you  ever  see  these  before  T 


70  MISSIONARY  EXPERIENCES. 

He  replied,  "Yes." 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  Uncle  Ben,  "  I  have  lost  a 
heap  by  reading  them." 

Mr.  McCullagh  inquired,  "What  did  you 
lose  ?" 

He  replied,  "  On  reading  these  two  books,  I 
took  an  oath  on  my  knees  in  that  furrow,  that 
I  would  never  taste  a  drop  of  liquor  while  I 
lived.  I  then  had  a  very  bad  name,  a  very 
red  face,  a  bad  habit  of  swearing,  an  aching 
head,  a  heavy  heart,  a  guilty  conscience,  and  a 
drunkard's  home.  Now  I  have  lost  every  one 
of  them.  I  have  gained  something  too,  thank 
God.  I  now  have  a  good  name  and  a  happy 
home ;  but  better  than  all,  my  wife,  our  two 
daughters  and  myself  have  all  found  the  Pearl 
of  great  price.  It  was  that  verse  in  the  story 
of  Ralph  Moore,  '  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
.  .  .  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin,'  which  brought 
us  all  to  the  cross." 

Uncle  Ben  became  an  active  member  of  the 
church  and  the  superintendent  of  two  Sabbath- 
schools. 


CHAPTER  X. 

MISSIONARY   EXPERIENCES   CONTINUED. 

The  Travellers  Rest. — On  one  of  his  mission- 
ary trips,  he  visited  Richmond,  Ky.,  and  held 
a  Sunday-school  meeting,  in  which  he  told  them 
of  his  work  in  the  mountains.  At  the  close,  a 
collection  was  taken  up,  and  only  fifteen  dollars 
was  received. 

The  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  arose 
and  said,  "  Ten  times  this  amount  should  be 
given  to  this  cause.  I  am  going  to  give  this 
brother  ten  dollars  myself  to  help  start  a  Sun- 
day-school in  Clay  county.  Last  year  I  was 
directed  by  the  presbytery  to  go  there  and 
preach.  The  appointment  was  duly  made,  and 
after  a  long  and  fatiguing  ride  I  reached  it,  and 
found  that  I  had  an  audience  of  three  persons, 
two  ladies  and  one  child.  On  inquiring  where 
all  the  men  and  boys  spent  their  Sabbaths,  I 
was  informed  that  they  were  at  a  tavern  called 
'  The  Travellers'  Rest,'  where  they  were  drink- 
ing and  engaging  in  various  sports.     I  could  do 

71 


72     MISSIONARY  EXPERIENCES  CONTINUED. 

nothing  there.  I  desire  this  brother  to  try  the 
Sunday-school  method  of  reform  in  that  place." 

Mr.  McCuUagh  started  for  this  hard  field, 
and  went  straight  to  The  Travellers'  Rest  and 
had  his  horse  put  up.  The  landlord  said,  "  So, 
you  are  the  preacher;  going  to  preach  here 
next  Sunday?" 

"Yes,  and  organize  a  Sunday-school,"  Mr. 
McCullagh  replied. 

"All  right,"  said  the  landlord;  "I  will  see 
that  you  have  a  big  crowd.  You  are  not  one 
of  those  stuck-up  fellows  that  come  around  oc- 
casionally. I  will  send  out  all  my  chaps  and 
drum  you  up  a  crowd." 

On  Sunday  the  house  was  filled,  and  McCul- 
lagh made  his  address.  Toward  the  close  he 
said,  "  I  understand  that  you  already  have  a 
Sunday-school  in  this  place ;  but  it  is  the  wrong 
kind.  The  men  and  boys  attend  school  at 
*  The  Travellers'  Rest,'  and  there  they  learn  to 
drink,  gamble,  swear  and  fight. 

"  The  kind  of  Sunday-school  that  I  propose 
to  start  graduates  its  scholars  as  upright  Chris- 
tian men  into  the  Church  of  God.  '  The  Trav- 
ellers' Rest'  sends  out  its  graduates  also.    A 


TRAVELLERS'  REST.  73 

short  time  ago,  two  young  men,  convicted  for 
murder,  were  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  seven 
years.  This  murder  was  committed  at  ^  The 
Travellers'  Rest,'  and  the  man  who  sold  them 
liquor  is  guilty  as  a  partaker  in  the  crime ;  he 
is  in  this  house  to-day." 

The  mothers  of  these  two  boys  were  sitting 
just  in  front  of  him,  and  were  sobbing  aloud. 
The  landlord  of  "The  Travellers'  Rest"  was 
but  a  few  steps  from  him.  Mr.  McCuUagh 
turned  suddenly  toward  him  and  said,  "You 
are  the  man  who  has  robbed  these  mothers  of 
their  sons.  You  are  the  man  who  is  carrying 
on  this  carnival  of  vice  and  crime,  desecrating 
God's  holy  day,  and  making  criminals  of  the 
men  and  boys  of  this  place.  These  are  your 
graduates ;  some  are  now  in  the  state  prison. 
Look  at  your  work  !" 

Then  a  man  suddenly  cried  out,  "Move  him." 
And  the  cry  became  general,  "  Move  him." 
Mr.  McCullagh  was  puzzled  to  know  which  one 
they  intended  to  move,  the  landlord  or  himself. 
The  landlord,  however,  was  not  in  doubt;  so 
he  seized  his  hat  and  rushed  out.  Many  fol- 
lowed him,  and  warned  him  to  make  his  ar- 


74     MISSIONARY  EXPERIENCES  CONTINUED. 

rangements  to  leave  the  place  or  he  would  be 
severely  dealt  with.     He  accordingly  left. 

Mr.  McCullagh,  continuing  his  address,  said, 
"  I  have  learned  things  about  the  sad  case  of 
these  two  boys  in  prison,  which,  if  they  were 
known  by  the  governor  of  the  state,  I  believe 
would  lead  him  to  pardon  them.  If  you  will  get 
up  a  petition  stating  these  mitigating  circum- 
stances, I  will  go  to  Frankfort  before  long  and 
will  present  it  to  Governor  Powell,  who  is  my 
friend  and  neighbor,  and  I  hope  we  may  be  able 
to  restore  those  boys  to  their  homes.  We  will 
start  our  Sunday-school  by  trying  to  undo  the 
sad  work  of  '  The  Travellers^  Rest.' " 

A  good  school  was  organized,  and  a  few 
months  afterward  the  governor  pardoned  the 
two  boys. 

Filling  Appointments. — During  forty  years' 
work  he  failed  but  once  to  fill  an  appointment. 
This  was  as  late  as  1883,  when  he  started  in 
good  time  for  Wheeling,  West  Va.  He  spent 
the  Sabbath  in  Louisville,  and  addressed  several 
schools.  That  evening  he  was  taken  danger- 
ously ill.  The  physician  advised  him  to  return 
home  as  soon  as  possible,  which  he  did;  and 


WHITE  LICK  SCHOOL.  75 

for  three  days  and  nights  his  family  thought  he 
would  cross  over  the  river  of  death,  and  rest 
under  the  trees.  He  was  very  sick  for  several 
months. 

In  speaking  of  filling  appointments,  he  says, 
"  The  importance  of  punctuality  cannot  be  over- 
rated.    Allow  me  to  give  an  illustration : 

''White  Lick  School. — On  a  bright,  sunny 
Sabbath,  many  years  ago,  I  organized  a  Sab- 
bath-school at  the  Richland  meeting-house,  in 
southern  Kentucky.  I  had  an  appointment  for 
another  meeting  that  afternoon  at  three  o'clock, 
at  White  Lick,  about  fifteen  miles  from  Rich- 
land. Although  I  received  sundry  pressing 
invitations  in  accordance  with  the  old-fashioned 
gemdne  hospitality  so  universal  in  Kentucky, 
'  Come  home  and  stay  with  us,'  yet  I  declined, 
fearing  that  I  might  not  reach  the  Lick  in  time; 
and  snatching  a  hasty  snack  from  my  saddle- 
bags, started  for  the  timber,  our  good  brother 
E.,  an  old  Sunday-school  worker,  having  kind- 
ly offered  to  guide  the  missionary  through  the 
trackless  woods.  So  away  we  went  at  the 
double-quick,  in  single  file,  over  logs,  through 
brush  and  swamps  swarming  with  reptiles. 


76     MISSIONABY  EXPERIENCES  CONTINUED. 

"  Suddenly  the  air  began  to  darken ;  a  curious 
cloud  was  seen  in  the  west.  My  guide  ex- 
claimed, '  I  do  believe  a  tornado  is  coming  this 
way^  and  if  we  are  caught  in  the  timber  we 
may  be  crushed  to  death.  We  must  ride  for 
life'  Our  horses  seemed  to  know  that  danger 
was  near,  and  dashed  ahead  at  a  fearful  rate, 
but  we  were  soon  compelled  to  stop  and  take 
shelter  in  a  rough  cabin,  erected  by  hunters  a 
few  months  before.  Yes,  there  it  comes  with 
deafening  peals  of  thunder.  How  grand  !  how 
fearful !  how  terrific !  how  it  sweeps  and  levels 
the  forest !  The  giant  oak  of  a  century  is  torn 
and  twisted  as  if  it  were  a  sapling. 

*  He  plants  his  footsteps  in  the  sea, 
And  rides  upon  the  storm.' 

But  the  cabin  under  the  cliff  was  a  safe  hiding- 
place  for  us.  '  Well,  we  have  been  miraculous- 
ly protected,'  said  the  brother,  ^and  so  will 
every  poor  sinner  be  secure  who  takes  refuge 
under  the  shadow  of  the  "  Rock  of  Ages." ' 

"After  getting  through  the  fallen  timber,  my 
good  friend  remarked,  '  Well  now,  let  us  take 
the  back  track  for  it/     MVhat  is  that  for?'  I 


STORM  IN  THE  FOREST.  77 

inquired.  '  Because  we  can't  get  to  the  Lick 
before  six  o'clock,  and  the  congregation  won't 
wait  three  hours  for  us,  I  know.'  ^Well, 
Brother  E.,  that  may  be  all  true,  but  I'm  going 
on  there  anyhow.'  Forward,  march  !  and  away 
we  went  at  a  gallop.  What  a  grand  sight  we 
saw  on  our  arrival!  We  found  a  crowd  still 
waiting  and  tvatching  for  the  preacher.  We  had 
a  very  precious  meeting,  and  organized  a  Sab- 
bath-school. After  the  benediction,  my  guide 
inquired  of  the  superintendent,  '  How  on  earth 
did  you  all  come  to  wait  so  long  for  us  ?' 
'  Well,  brother,'  he  replied,  '  I  was  at  M.'s  last 
week,  and  inquired  of  friend  W.  if  he  thought 
the  Sunday-school  man  would  come  all  the  way 
down  to  the  Lick.  "Yes,"  said  brother  W. ; 
"  don't  be  uneasy  about  that ;  the  old  war-horse 
will  be  there,  even  if  he  has  to  swim  Trade- 
water."  We  saw  the  storm  passing  round  to- 
ward Richland,  and  some  of  the  sugar  and  salt 
ones  suggested  we  had  better  go  home ;  but  on 
hearing  what  Wilkins  said  of  the  old  chap's 
punctuality,  they  determined  to  wait  on  even 
until  dark.'  A  large  working  church  was  the 
result  of  filling  that  appointment r 


CHAPTER  XI. 

INCIDENTS   OF   THE    WORK. 

A  COMMON  difficulty  in  this  mission  work  was 
to  find  suitable  officers  for  the  schools  when 
they  were  organized.  When  the  right  man  was 
found,  Mr.  McCullagh  would  take  no  excuse. 
The  following  will  illustrate  his  persistence : 

Bright  Light. — While  organizing  the  "Bright 
Light "  Sunday-school  in  Union  county,  he  was 
describing  the  duties  and  qualifications  of  the 
person  whom  they  should  elect  superintendent. 
Before  the  vote  was  taken,  an  elderly  gentle- 
man arose  and  said : 

"  Whoever  you  elect  superintendent  may  just 
as  well  accept  at  once,  for  the  old  missionary 
will  never  let  him  off.  He  came  to  my  place 
twenty-nine  years  ago  and  asked  me  to  super- 
intend a  Sunday-school  at  the  coal  mines.  I 
told  him,  '  No,  I  could  not  do  it ;'  but  he  talked 
on  and  on.  Whenever  I  got  a  chance  to  put  in 
a  word,  I  said,  ^  No ;  I  can't.'  But  he  kept  on 
talking  until  after  midnight. 

78 


BRIGHT-LIGHT  SCHOOL.  79 

"  When  I  showed  him  up  to  his  room,  I  said 
to  myself,  *  Well,  young  man,  I  am  safe  now ; 
for  I  will  be  off  to  Morganfield  before  you  are 
up.'  But^  lo  and  behold,  I  found  him  cutting 
wood  early  in  the  morning.  I  told  him  I  was 
on  the  grand  jury,  and  had  to  be  in  Morganfield 
by  ten  o'clock.  He  replied,  '  Very  well,  I  will 
ride  part  of  the  way  with  you.' 

"After  starting,  he  commenced  his  old  talk, 
and  I  continued  to  say,  ^No;  I  can't.'  On 
reaching  the  big  flat,  which  was  a  mile  wide 
and  covered  with  water  nearly  deep  enough  to 
swim  a  horse,  I  said,  '  This  will  stop  him  sure ;' 
but  he  plunged  right  in  and  followed  me  to  the 
other  side.  When  we  reached  dry  land,  I  said, 
'  I  see  that  you  are  in  blood  earnest,  and  I  will 
have  to  do  the  best  I  can  for  that  school.'  He 
grasped  my  hand  in  both  of  his,  and  exclaimed, 
'  May  God  bless  you,  Brother  Johnston !  I 
must  now  go  to  Caseyville,  where  I  have  an 
appointment  for  to-night.  This  is  twenty  mile& 
out  of  my  way,  but  I  would  have  followed  you 
for  a  hundred  miles,  until  I  had  your  consent 
to  superintend  that  school.'  I  tell  you,  my 
friends,  there  is  no  dodging  that  brother." 


80  INCIDENTS  OF  THE   WORK. 

The  moment  he  sat  down,  a  gentleman  moved 
that  Esquire  Johnston  be  elected  superintend- 
ent of  the  "Bright  Light"  Sunday-school, 
which  was  carried  by  acclamation.  He  arose 
and  said,  "  Well,  the  old  missionary  has  flanked 
me  again,  and  I  may  just  as  well  surrender." 

ArcJiie  and  the  Testament. — Mr.  McCullagh 
organized  a  Sunday-school  on  Buckhorn  Creek, 
in  one  of  our  mountain  counties.  The  next 
day,  when  riding  about  three  miles  from  there, 
he  saw  a  ragged  boy,  about  twelve  years  of  age, 
chopping  wood  by  the  road-side. 

The  pony  stopped  at  the  sight  of  the  child, 
and  the  following  interview  took  place : 

"  Where  do  you  live  ?" 

"  Half  a  mile  up  the  road,  stranger." 

"  What  is  your  name  ?" 

"  My  name  is  Archie." 

"  Have  you  any  sisters  or  brothers  ?" 

"Yes,  sir;  I  have  three  sisters  and  two 
brothers.  I  had  a  little  brother  Bennie,  but  he 
died  not  long  ago ;  and  they  dug  a  deep  hole 
and  put  poor  little  brother  down  in  that  dark 
place." 

"  Have  you  a  day-school  here  ?" 


ARCHIE  AND  THE  TESTAMENT.  81 

"No,  sir." 

"Any  Sunday-school?" 

"No,  sir." 

"  Would  you  like  to  have  a  book  that  tells 
about  a  happy  world  up  yonder,  where  people 
will  never  die  any  more  ?" 

"  That  I  would,  sir." 

"  Well,  here  it  is,"  said  the  missionary,  pull- 
ing out  a  little  Testament.  "  Sit  down,  Archie, 
and  let  me  tell  you  about  it." 

They  sat  down  on  the  log,  and  the  mount- 
ain-boy drank  in  every  word  Mr.  McCuUagh 
told  him  of  Christ,  heaven  and  eternal  life. 
The  little  fellow's  heart  was  touched,  and  look- 
ing up,  he  said,  "What  is  your  name,  Mr. 
stranger  ?" 

On  being  told,  he  said,  "  I  have  heard  tell 
of  you  before.  You  is  the  man  what  makes 
Sunday-schools,  ain't  you?  I  wish  I  knowed 
how  to  read  this  little  book  what  tells  about 
Jesus." 

"  Well,  my  little  man,  if  you  will  attend  the 
Sunday-school  near  the  bridge,  on  Buckhorn 
Creek,  they  will  teach  you." 

"  When  do  it  meet  ?"  he  inquired. 
6 


82  INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WORK. 

"  Every  Sunday  morning  at  nine  o'clock." 

"  Well,  I'll  be  thar,  if  I  am  alive ;  and  I  will 
keep  this  little  book  just  as  long  as  I  live." 
.    After  a  few  more  kind  words,  the  missionary 
rode  away. 

The  next  Sabbath,  Archie  started  in  search 
of  the  Sunday-school.  After  some  time,  he  met 
a  man  who  was  hunting  squirrels,  and  asked  him, 

^^  Have  you  seen  anything  of  a  Sunday-school 
this  way?" 

"  A  what  ?     I  don't  know  what  you  mean." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  exactly  what  it  is  my- 
self; but  it  is  up  near  the  bridge." 

"  Oh,  it  is  in  the  old  school-house,  I  reckon. 
I  saw  people  going  in  there." 

Archie  hurried  on,  and  met  the  superintend- 
ent at  the  door. 

"I  want  to  learn  how  to  read  this  book," 
said  he,  bringing  out  the  Testament. 

"All  right;  walk  in." 

After  two  years,  Mr.  McCullagh  visited  this 
place,  and  found  that  Archie,  his  father,  mother, 
three  sisters  and  two  brothers  were  in  the  Sun- 
day-school, and  also  his  neighbor  Bentley  and 
his  family. 


LOST  IN  THE  FOREST.  83 

Mr.  B.  gave  an  account  of  Archie's  first  in- 
terview, and  their  conversation  in  the  woods, 
when  he  was  hunting  the  Sunday-school. 

It  was  eight  years  before  Mr.  McCullagh 
again  saw  Archie.  In  the  meantime  the  civil 
war  was  raging.  One  Sabbath  afternoon  he 
visited  a  hospital  in  one  of  our  cities.  In  look- 
ing down  along  a  long  row  of  cots,  he  saw  the 
stump  of  an  arm  beckoning  him.  As  he  drew 
near,  the  handsome  face  of  a  young  man,  chas- 
tened by  suffering,  greeted  him.  "  I  am  Archie, 
Mr.  McCullagh.  I  have  had  both  of  my  arms 
shot  off,  and  they  tell  me  that  owing  to  expos- 
ure, neglect  and  loss  of  blood,  I  cannot  get 
well;  but  it  will  only  be  going  home  to  die  no 
more.  How  sweet  are  those  words  in  that  little 
Testament,  '  I  am  the  resurrection,  and  the  life : 
he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead, 
yet  shall  he  live :  and  whosoever  liveth  and 
believeth  in  me  shall  never  die  !' " 

Lost  in  the  Forest. — While  travelling  in  one 
of  our  thinly-settled  counties,  McCullagh  lost 
his  way.  Night  was  fast  coming  on,  and  he 
was  in  the  midst  of  a  vast  forest.  He  resolved 
to  cry  for  help,  and  shouted  "  Lost !"  as  loud 


84  INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WORK. 

as  he  could.  The  sound  rolled  through  the 
forest  and  died  away  in  the  distance ;  but  he 
continued  to  shout  "  Lost !"  He  heard  a  voice 
in  the  distance  say  "  Lost !"  "  It  is  only  an 
echo  mocking  me,"  he  thought.  He  listened 
and  heard  the  voice  again  crying  "Lost !"  "  It 
is  some  one  in  the  same  condition  that  I  am." 

The  two  continued  to  shout  and  to  draw 
nearer.  Soon  a  man  on  horseback  came  in 
sight.  Mr.  McCuUagh  inquired,  "Who  are 
you?" 

"  Oh,  praise  the  Lord !  I  am  a  Methodist 
preacher,"  was  the  response.    "  Who  are  you  ?" 

"  Oh,  praise  the  Lord !  I  am  a  Sunday-school 
missionary,  and  a  heap  bigger  man  than  you." 

This  was  responded  to  by  a  hearty  laugh. 
They  soon  entered  into  serious  conversation. 
It  was  decided  that  it  would  be  dangerous  to 
wander  through  the  forest  any  longer  that 
night,  and.  they  must  camp  out. 

"  We  Methodists  always  carry  the  fire  with 
us,"  said  the  preacher,  bringing  out  a  piece  of 
flint ;  but  after  searching  in  vain,  he  declared 
that  he  had  lost  his  steel. 

"Oh,  if  that  is   all  you   want,"  said  Mr. 


LOST  IN  THE  FOREST.  85 

McCullagh,  "here  it  is/'  handing  him  his 
knife.  "  In  union  there  is  strength :  what 
one  lacks  the  other  supplies.  Here  is  a  Pres- 
byterian knife  to  knock  the  fire  out  of  a  Meth- 
odist flint." 

A  good  fire  was  soon  started,  and  the  forest 
resounded  with  songs  of  praise.  They  whiled 
away  the  hours  by  genial  conversation,  in  which 
Mr.  McCullagh  reminded  his  fellow,  "  You  and 
I,  brother,  are  but  scouts,  starting  the  watch- 
fires  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  in  dark  places. 
We  are  all  soldiers  in  the  same  army.  The 
day  is  coming  when  Satan's  kingdom  shall  fall, 
and  it  can  only  go  down  under  the  grand  charge 
of  God's  united  people,  Jesus  himself  leading 
the  solid  phalanx." 

"  Bless  the  Lord  !  that  is  so,"  said  the  Meth- 
dist,  and  commenced  singing  "  Blest  be  the  tie 
that  binds." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

FROM   THE    missionary's   NOTE-BOOK. 

There  were  few  obstacles  that  deterred 
McCuUagh   in   the   prosecution  of  his   work. 

He  had  an  appointment  at  C to  organize  a 

school.  Meeting  with  a  friend  who  was  famil- 
iar with  the  place,  he  was  advised  not  to  attempt 
it,  as  there  was  a  distillery  near  by,  and  nothing 
good  could  be  accomplished.  Mr.  McCuUagh 
replied,  "  You  are  entirely  wrong.  "Within  the 
past  week  I  saw  a  large  meeting-house,  the 
result  of  a  Sunday-school  which  I  organized 
in  a  dram-shop,  in  a  town  where  there  had 
not  been  a  sermon  preached  in  three  years.  I 
am  not  afraid  to  make  an  effort  near  a  distil- 
lery, nor  in  one ;  and  when  it  is  in  full  blast 
too,  if  an  opportunity  offered." 

He  asked  his  friend  to  accompany  him  to 
the  neighborhood.  They  found  a  crowd  await- 
ing them,  and  his  friend  was  greatly  astonished 
to  find  the  owner  of  the  distillery  present  and 
voting  to  have  the  Sunday-school. 

86 


ALPHABETARIANS.  87 

Alphahetarians. — In  organizing  a  school  in  a 
very  destitute  locality,  he  said,  "  The  children 
were  growing  up  ignorant  and  vicious,  irrelig- 
ious and  profane.  I  visited  every  family  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  showed  them  the  im- 
portance of  having  a  Sunday-school  and  a  good 
library.  '  What  good  can  books  do  us  ?'  they 
replied;  ^we  cannot  read.'  I  told  them  to 
learn  to  read.  '  Not  old  folks,'  said  they.  I 
said,  ^Yes;  I  recently  organized  a  Sunday- 
school,  where  I  entered  twelve  alphabetarians 
whose  aggregate  ages  amounted  to  five  hun- 
dred and  eighty  years.'  '  We  are  too  poor  to 
buy  books,  but  you  come  next  Sunday  and 
make  us  a  sarmon  on  these  things.' 

"  I  found  that  two  leading  men  were  opposed 
to  the  effort.  I  understood  they  said  that  I 
only  wanted  to  make  a  little  money  out  of 
them,  and  that  all  so-called  benevolent  societies 
were  just  money-making  machines. 

"  During  my  address  on  the  Sabbath  I  not- 
iced several  weeping.  I  told  them  I  knew 
they  were  not  able  to  buy  suitable  books,  but 
if  they  would  all  promise  to  come  regularly,  I 
would  present  them  with  a  good  library  from  a 


88      FROM  THE  MISSIONARY'S  NOTE-ROOK 

friend  in  New  York.  The  opposers  looked  at 
each  other  in  astonishment.  ^  Will  you  accept 
the  books  on  these  terms?'  ^Yes,  and  with 
ten  thousand  thanks ;  and  may  God  bless  our 
New  York  friend.' " 

Rough  Fare. — A  missionary  who  travels  al- 
most constantly  in  rural  districts  soon  becomes 
a  good  judge  in  selecting  suitable  stopping- 
places  for  meals  and  lodging;  but  sometimes 
the  keenest  eye  is  deceived. 

In  going  on  a  long  trip  in  a  new  district,  Mr. 
McCuUagh  stopped  at  a  nice-looking  farm-house 
to  see  if  he  could  get  dinner.  The  lady  said, 
"  Our  dinner  is  over,  but  I  reckon  I  can  get  you 
something."  The  meal  was  soon  ready,  and  con- 
sisted of  cold  boiled  cabbage,  sour  buttermilk 
and  corn  bread.  After  eating,  he  said,  "  Madam, 
I  wish  to  pay  for  my  dinner ;  how  much  is  it  ?" 

"  You  don't  mean  to  pay  for  it  ?"  she  said. 

"  Certainly ;  I  am  always  ready  to  pay  for 
what  I  get." 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  you  meant  to  pay 
for  your  dinner  ?"  she  exclaimed.  "  If  you  had 
said  so,  you  could  have  had  chicken,  and  pie, 
and  coffee  too." 


UNCLE  BILLY.  89 

Uncle  Billy  and  Parson  Benton. — At  one 
Sunday-school  appointment,  Parson  Benton  had 
previously  given  notice  that  he  would  attend 
and  expose  the  whole  scheme,  and  prove  it  to 
be  a  British  consarn  "  from  a  to  izzard."  Sure 
enough,  the  parson  spoke  in  opposition  to  the 
Sunday-school.  He  asserted  most  positively 
that  Mr.  McCullagh  was  a  Britisher  from  Scot- 
land; Queen  Victoria  had  Bartinly  sent  him 
over  to  establish  these  schools  all  over  the 
country,  and  in  that  way  her  majesty  would 
have  a  strong  claim  on  old  Kentuck.  "  Keep 
out  of  this  trap,"  he  exclaimed.  "  And  as  for 
the  book  larnin',  it  is  wuss  than  useless.  Who 
can  preach  longer  than  your  humble  sarvant? 
and  he  never  was  in  school  but  six  days  in  his 
whole  life.  It  costs  too  much  to  buy  these 
purty  books ;  we  is  all  too  poor ;  times  is  too 
hard  and  money  sca'ce." 

At  the  close  of  the  parson's  remarks,  an  old 
gentleman,  called  Uncle  Billy,  addressed  him 
as  follows : 

"  Brother  Benton,  did  you  not  hear  Mr. 
McCullagh  say  a.  kind  friend  in  the  East  had 
paid  for  these  books,  and  would  give  us  this 


90      FROM  THE  MISSIONARY'S  NOTE-BOOK. 

library  ?  Now  don't  that  show  there  must  be 
some  good  in  the  Sunday-school  work  ? 

"  Now,  friends,  look  here  and  listen  to  Uncle 
Billy.  Which  is  the  best  friend  to  us — Mr. 
Benton,  who  sells  our  children  and  servants 
whisky  by  the  dram  on  Sunday,  although  he 
says  money  is  so  scarce  and  we  are  so  poor,  or 
Mr.  M.,  in  the  East,  who  offers  us  these  beau- 
tiful books  for  nothing?  Every  one  of  them, 
it  seems,  teaches  us  how  to  make  our  way 
home  to  heaven  when  we  die.  Who  is  our 
best  frie7idr  shouted  Uncle  Billy  in  tones  of 
thunder. 

"  Mr.  M. !"  "  Mr.  M. !"  resounded  from  all 
parts  of  the  house. 

Parson  Benton  walked  out,  and  Uncle  Billy 
said,  "If  he  does  not  come  back  until  he  is 
asked,  he  will  hear  Gabriel's  trumpet  first ;  so 
he  may  slide." 

The  school  was  organized,  and  its  influence 
became  so  strong  that  the  parson  had  to  close 
his  Sunday  doggery.  He  was  also  presented 
before  the  grand  jury  for  running  his  trans- 
portation wagons  on  Sunday. 

Tommie  Ewing, — Mr.  McCullagh  had  an  ap- 


TOMMIE  EWING.  91 

pointment  to  start  a  school  at  a  village  on  the 
Ohio  river.  Two  days  before  he  reached  the 
place  a  distressing  accident  occurred.  Two 
little  boys  and  girls  were  riding  in  a  skiff, 
when  it  was  upset  and  they  were  drowned. 
Their  sudden  death  made  a  deep  impression 
on  the  hearts  of  the  young  and  the  old.  In 
his  address  he  referred  to  the  sad  event,  and 
spoke  of  the  uncertainty  of  life.  He  repeated 
this  stanza  several  times,  until  the  children  all 
learned  it : 

"  My  pulse  is  the  clock  of  my  life, 
It  tells  me  the  moments  are  flying ; 
It  marks  the  departure  of  time, 
And  shows  me  how  fast  I  am  dying." 

Just  as  he  was  starting  away,  a  sunny-faced 
boy  took  him  by  the  hand  and  said,  "  I  thank 
you  very  much  for  your  sermon ;  it  has  done 
me  good.  I  am  determined  to  be  ready  when 
my  time  comes.  Tell  me  some  good  books  to 
read  that  will  show  me  how  to  be  a  good  boy." 
This  the  missionary  did,  and,  not  long  after, 
he  heard  that  Tommie  Ewing  had  found  Christ 
and  was  a  member  of  the  church. 

Nearly  twenty  years  after  this,  Mr.  McCul- 


92      FROM  THE  MISSIONARY'S  NOTE-BOOK. 

lagh  was  on  the  cars  near  Chattanooga,  Ten- 
nessee, when  a  gentleman  came  in,  carrying  a 
large  bundle  of  books.  In  a  conversation  with 
him  he  learned  that  it  was  Thomas  Ewing. 
The  bundle  contained  Sunday-school  books. 
He  had  not  forgotten  the  stanza  "My  pulse 
is  the  clock  of  my  life." 

Bill  Knox  and  the  Mill  School. — "  I  went  to 
one  of  the  poorest,  darkest  points  in  the  state 
to  organize  a  school,"  he  writes.  "Having 
lost  my  way,  I  saw  a  boy,  without  hat  or 
shoes,  sitting  on  a  fence. 

" '  My  boy,  what  is  your  name  ?* 

" '  Bill  Knox,'  replied  he. 

" '  Can  you  tell  me  how  far  it  is  to  Green's 
Mills  ?' 

" '  Yes ;  I  reckon  it's  about  three  miles,  but 
you  can't  find  your  way  to  it.' 

"^Why?' 

" '  'Cause  there  aren't  any  way  to  go.* 

"  ^  I  am  sorry,  for  it  is  ten  o'clock  now,  and 
I  have  to  be  there  by  eleven.' 

" '  Are  you  the  man  what's  going  to  make  a 
Sunday-school  to  our  mills  ?' 

"^Yes.' 


BILL  KNOX.  93 

" '  Wait  till  I  tell  dad,  then ;'  and  he  ran 
into  the  field  calling,  '  Ho,  dad,  here's  a  man 
what  is  going  to  have  something  to  the  mills — 
going  to  make  a  Sunday-school  there.  I  specs 
we  had  better  show  him  the  way.' 

" '  All  right,  Bill ;  me  and  the  ole  woman 
maybe'll  be  there  too.' 

"  Mr.  Knox  came  to  the  fence,  and  the  mis- 
sionary warmly  accosted  him  :  '  Mr.  Knox,  we 
are  going  to  have  a  Sunday-school  at  the  mills, 
and  will  be  glad  to  have  you  come  and  bring 
your  wife  and  children.' 

" '  All  right ;  we  will  be  there.' 

"  Bill  and  I  started  off,  and  got  there  ahead 
of  them.  There  was  seldom  seen  such  a  crowd. 
As  soon  as  the  school  was  organized,  I  invited 
any  one  who  could  not  read,  and  wished  to  learn, 
to  come  up  and  take  their  places  at  my  right. 
The  first  to  come  were  old  Knox  and  his  wife ; 
then  came  Bill  and  his  four  sisters,  not  one  of 
whom  could  read.  This  school  prospered,  and 
they  now  have  a  brick  church. 

"Not  long  ago,"  adds  the  missionary,  "a 
genteel-looking  young  man  took  me  by  the 
hand  warmly  and  said,  ^I  have  come  thirty 


94      FROM  THE  MISSIONARY'S  NOTE-BOOK. 

miles  on  a  mule  to  see  you,  Mr.  McCullagh, 
and  now  you  don't  know  me.' 

" '  Yes,  it  is  a  fact  I  do  not  know  you ;  but 
I  can  see  so  little  of  your  face,  I  cannot  be 
blamed :  shaving  does  not  seem  to  be  in  the 
fashion  up  here.' " 

The  stranger  said  he  was  Bill  Knox,  who 
showed  the  missionary  to  Green's  Mills ;  that 
all  of  his  family  learned  to  read  in  that  school, 
and  that  he  was  now  superintendent  of  a  large 
school  in  McClean  county. 

The  poor  people  among  whom  Mr.  McCullagh 
worked  were  very  grateful,  and  would  some- 
times ask  him,  "  Do  you  not  expect  some  pay 
for  that  fine  sermon  ?"  "  Yes ;  if  you  will  all 
do  as  I  tell  you,  that  will  be  pay  enough." 

Some,  however,  did  not  deem  this  sufficient. 
One  man  made  him  a  rocking-chair,  which 
lasted  thirty-five  years.  Another  said,  "  Your 
pony  is  broken  down ;  I  have  a  good  saddle- 
horse  ;  you  must  use  him  for  six  months,  and 
let  your  pony  rest."  Others  gave  him  butter, 
eggs,  fowls  and  fruit.  These  he  accepted,  so 
as  not  to  wound  the  warm  and  grateful  hearts 
of  those  who  offered  them. 


ANDREW  JACKSON.  95 

Distinguished  Men. — Mr.  McCullagh  was  not 
only  brought  into  contact  with  the  poor  and 
ignorant,  but  also  with  some  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished men  in  the  country.  He  had  among 
his  personal  friends  governors  of  some  of  the 
states,  presidents  of  railroad  companies,  of 
banks  and  colleges,  judges  of  courts,  and  many 
of  the  most  prominent  ministers,  of  all  denom- 
inations, in  the  United  States.  His  acquaint- 
ance with  President  Andrew  Jackson  was  of  a 
very  pleasant  nature.  He  visited  him  at  the 
Hermitage  after  "Old  Hickory"  had  retired 
from  public  life.  The  ex-President  gave  him  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  some  personal  friends. 
This  letter  was  dated 

Hermitage,  June  27,  1856. 
To  William  Donelson,  Esq.,  Captain  S.  Donelson,  and  others  of 
the  neighborhood. 
Gentlemen  : — This  will  be  handed  to  you  by  the  secre- 
tary of  The  American  Sunday-School  Union,  Mr.  John 
McCullagh,  a  gentleman  highly  recommended,  etc.  He  will 
make  known  to  you  the  object  of  his  visit. 

Kespectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

A.  Jackson. 

Hon.  Alexander  H.  Stephens. — Mr.  Stephens 
was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  and  influential 


96      FROM  THE  MISSIONARY'S  NOTE-BOOK. 

men  in  the  South,  on  account  of  his  great  intel- 
lectual powers  and  the  unblemished  character 
of  his  private  life.  The  story  of  his  struggle 
against  poverty  and  physical  weakness,  until 
he  became  one  of  the  foremost  men  of  his  state, 
is  a  grand  illustration  of  moral  courage.  He 
was  a  vice-president  of  The  American  Sunday- 
School  Union,  and  just  before  his  death  had 
been  arranging  for  the  support  of  a  missionary 
in  the  county  in  which  he  was  born. 

Mr.  McCuUagh  always  received  a  cordial 
welcome  at  "Liberty  Hall."  The  secret  of 
this  interest  was  that  when  a  poor  country  boy 
Mr.  Stephens  entered  a  Union  Sunday-school. 

In  1874  Mr.  Stephens  made  an  address  to  a 
large  number  of  Sunday-school  teachers  and 
scholars  who  visited  his  grounds.  Mr.  Ste- 
phens stood  on  the  east  portico  of  his  house, 
supported  by  his  crutches,  and  described  the 
influence  of  the  Sunday-school  upon  his  life  as 
follows : 

"  Never  before  have  I  addressed  an  audience, 
large  or  small,  upon  topics  relating  exclusively 
not  to  things  of  this  life,  but  to  that  higher  life 
which  is  to  come  after. 


STEPHENS  AND  POWER  CREEK.  97 

"  If  I  have  not  thus  before  spoken  publicly 
upon  such  subjects,  it  has  not  been  because  I 
have  not  thought  most  intensely  and  pro- 
foundly upon  them  from  my  earliest  youth. 
It  is  a  source  of  high  gratification  for  me  to 
say  to  you  all  upon  this  occasion,  and  especially 
to  these  little  boys,  that  the  first  awakening 
of  such  thoughts  in  my  mind,  as  well  as  my 
first  taste  for  general  reading,  was  quickened 
and  brought  into  active  exercise  in  a  Sunday- 
school. 

"  It  was  at  the  old  Power  Creek  log  meet- 
ing-house, not  five  miles  from  this  place,  more 
than  half  a  century  ago,  that  I  became  a  pupil 
in  what  was  known  as  a  Union  Sunday-school. 
The  day  I  entered  it  was  a  great  epoch  in  my 
life.  It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  the  summer ; 
and  though  but  a  small  boy  at  the  time,  still  I 
had  to  do  such  work  on  the  farm  as  I  was  able 
to  do  during  the  week.  This  was  picking  cot- 
ton or  peas,  or  going  to  mill,  or  other  light 
work  of  like  character.  It  was  only  at  night, 
and  by  a  pine-knot  light,  that  I  had  any  oppor- 
tunity to  study  the  lessons  assigned  me ;  and 
yet  so  deeply  did  I  become  interested  in  the 

7 


98      FROM  THE  MISSIONARY'S  NOTE-BOOK. 

questions  of  the  Union  Catechism  [Questions] 
that  two  o'clock  often  found  me  poring  over 
the  chapters  of  the  Bible  set  apart  for  the  next 
Sunday's  examination.  To  the  impressions  thus 
made  I  am  indebted  in  no  small  degree  for  my 
whole  future  course  in  life,  whether  it  has  been 
for  good  or  for  evil.  If  in  the  midst  of  any 
evil  that  has  marred  that  course  there  is  any- 
thing good  to  be  found,  or  anything  worthy  of 
imitation,  then  it  is  due  to  that  Sunday-school, 
and  to  that  great  cause  which  you  to-day  cel- 
ebrate with  inspiring  mottoes,  banners  and 
music." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    OPPOSITION   LINE. 

In  carrying  on  his  work  for  The  American 
Sunday-School  Union,  Mr.  McCullagh  met  with 
great  opposition.  The  following  incidents  illus- 
trate his  tact  and  perseverance  in,  overcoming 
his  opponents.     He  declares  : 

"It  was  hard  work  to  be  a  Sunday-school 
missionary  years  ago.  Then  my  field  included 
the  '  Pocket/  in  southern  Indiana,  '  Egypt,'  in 
southern  Illinois,  and  southwestern  Kentucky. 
I  found  violent  opposers  among  the  followers 
of  Robert  Dale  Owen — the  Flat-heads,  Hard- 
shells  and  Iron-jackets;  indeed,  all  of  them 
might  be  classed  among  the  '  opposition  line.' 
Of  course  the  Bible-school  was  especially  ob- 
noxious to  all  such  characters. 

"  At  one  time  I  was  challenged  by  an  eloquent 
advocate  of  woman  suffrage,  free-love  theories, 
etc.,  to  discuss  sociology  and  the  subject  of 
Sunday-schools  at  a  noted  camp-ground.  If  I 
declined  to  meet  him,  he  threatened  to  break 

99 


100  THE  OPPOSITION  LINE. 

up  every  Union  school  in  my  field.  The  chal- 
lenge was  accepted,  and  the  time  fixed  for  the 
discussion.  An  immense  crowd  was  in  attend- 
ance. I  found  the  doctor  knew  nothing  what- 
ever about  Sabbath-schools.  As  to  his  theory 
of  sociology,  it  was  a  thoroughly-godless  hu- 
manity, without  any  reverence  for  God,  or 
truth  to  guide  men  and  women  in  their  con- 
duct toward  each  other.  He  argued  that  there 
are  no  settled  facts  nor  principles  of  common 
sense;  he  made  marriage  a  partnership,  to 
continue  just  as  long  as  the  interests  of  the 
partners  required — '  business  on  business  prin- 
ciples.' It  was  a  rehash  of  Plato,  Sir  Thomas 
More  and  John  Stuart  Mill.  He  made  this 
hypothetical,  that  hypothetical,  everything  hyp- 
othetical. 

"  In  closing  my  reply  I  told  the  temperance 
story  of  Johnny*  Hawkins,  famous  in  the  old 
Washingtonian  temperance  times,  and  confessed 
to  a  sort  of  logical  sympathy  with  old  Coesar 
and  his  profound  philosophy.  It  was  the 
story  of  the  negro  debating  society  of  Boston, 
in  which  old  Csesar,  recently  escaped  from  the 
tobacco-patch   and   corn-field,    encounters    the 


JOHNNY  HAWKINS.  101 

smaoth-tongued  Augustus,  long  in  the  classic 
halls  of  Cambridge,  on  the  question  'Do  the 
works  of  art  or  the  works  of  nature  have  the 
most  attraction  for  the  human  mind  ?'  The 
grand  defence  of  Caesar  against  his  voluble 
Cambridge  opponent  was  the  persistent  refusal 
to  allow  his  opponent's  premises  in  the  argu- 
ment. So,  as  Augustus  attempted  a  sublime 
description  of  the  Boston  State-house  as  a 
work  of  art  that  had  many  an  attraction  for 
the  human  mind,  Csesar  called  the  gentleman 
to  order,  and  demanded  to  know,  '  Is  not  de 
Boston  common  de  work  ob  nature,  and  dere- 
fore  on  our  side?  Where  will  de  gentleman 
find  a  place  to  set  his  grand  state-house?' 
'But,'  replies  the  indignant  Augustus,  'will 
not  de  gentleman  on  de  oder  side,  as  de  pro- 
fessors at  Cambridge  say,  grant  me  de  priv- 
ilege to  hypothecate  de  premises  ?  Will  he 
not  gib  me  no  premises  ?'  '  I's  got  no  prem- 
ises for  myself,'  responds  the  imperturbable 
Csesar,  '  since  I  left  my  cabin  in  old  Virginny. 
Go  to  work  and  buy  you  a  premises,  if  you 
want  one.'  '  De  gentleman  misunderstands  de 
point,'  replies  the  smooth-tongued  Augustus. 


102  THE  OPPOSITION  LINE. 

^  I  means  de  premises  to  hypothecate  de  argu- 
ment. I's  a  right  to  hypothecate  de  premises, 
as,  for  instance,  I  say,  Csesar,  suppose  you 
over  dar  at  Coon's  grocery,  for  de  sake  ob  ar- 
gument/ '  But,  nigger,  I  warn't  dar,'  replies 
the  imperturbable  Csesar.  '  I  know  you  warn't 
dar,'  replies  the  slick-tongued  Augustus ;  '  but, 
jist  to  hypothecate  de  argument,  I  say,  sup- 
pose you  over  at  Coon's  grocery.'  '  Nigger,  I 
warn't  dar,'  was  Caesar's  dogged  reply.  '1 
know,  you  fool,  you  warn't  dar;  but,  as  de 
professors  at  Cambridge  say,  we  must  hypoth- 
ecate de  argument.  Now  I  say,  only  to  hy- 
pothecate de  argument,  suppose  you  over  dar 
at  Coon's  grocery.'  'You  may,'  cries  the  in- 
dignant Csesar,  'pot-cake,  if  you  please,  or 
pound-cake,  or  pan-cake,  or  hoe-cake,  if  you 
please ;  but  no  man  shall  say  dis  nigger  went 
to  Coon's.' 

"When  the  doctor  arose  to  reply,  the  ex- 
citement was  intense.  Every  man,  woman 
and  child  was  on  his  or  her  feet  in  a  moment, 
exclaiming  in  thunder  tones,  'I  warn't  dar,' 
'  I  warn't  dar.'  I  did  my  very  best  to  quiet 
them  so  as  to  hear  him  out,  but  it  was  utterly 


COON'S  GROCERY.  103 

impossible.  ^No,  sir/  they  exclaimed;  ^we 
have  had  enough,  yes,  a  little  too  much,  of  such 
savage  philosophy/  So  the  doctor  picked  up 
his  hat  and  left  in  a  hurry;  when  the  pres- 
ident of  the  meeting  remarked,  ^Yes,  he's 
gone,  sure  enough,  and  it's  somewhat  doubtful 
if  he  stops  short  of  Pike's  Peak.' 

"The  organization  of  six  new  Sabbath- 
schools  was  the  result  of  the  discussion.  That 
New  Harmony  humbug  of  the  Owens  is  dead 
and  buried;  the  Flat-heads  are  all  gone,  and 
the  Hard-shells  and  Iron-jackets  are  few  and 
far  between." 

Uncle  Johnny. — A  Hard-shell  preacher  known 
as  Uncle  Johnny  started  an  "  opposition  line.'* 
He  charged  that  the  missionary  was  a  Britisher 
sent  out  by  the  gov-ernment  of  old  England  to 
divide  and  ruin  this  country  by  establishing 
gospel-shops  or  Sunday-schools.  I  had  organ- 
ized them  all  around  his  churches.  These  gos- 
pel fires  spread  in  every  direction  and  swept 
everything  before  them ;  even  his  children  and 
grandchildren  deserted  the  "opposition  line." 
This  made  him  furious.  He  sent  a  challenge 
to  debate  "  Sunday-schools  and  book-laming." 


104  THE  OPPOSITION  LINE. 

The  challenge  was  accepted,  the  time  fixed 
and  the  judges  appointed.  On  reaching  Big 
Creek,  I  found  it  over  its  banks  and  the  bridge 
gone.  I  started  up  the  creek,  expecting  to 
cross  at  Long's  Mill,  but  found  the  water  rush- 
ing over  the  dam  like  a  young  Niagara.  Over- 
whelmed with  sorrow  and  disappointment,  I 
wept  like  a  child  at  the  very  thought  that 
Uncle  Johnny  would  have  such  a  grand  tri- 
umph, and  proclaim  that  he  knew  well  enough 
that  young  chap  wouldn't  come  to  time. 

After  a  full  and  thorough  examination  of 
the  mill-dam  and  its  surroundings,  and  having 
duly  considered  the  dangers  to  be  encountered, 
I  determined  to  cross,  and  selected  the  upper 
part  of  the  dam,  where  the  current  was  not  so 
swift.  It  was  absolutely  necessary  that  I 
should  cross  then  and  there,  or  fail  to  reach 
the  camp-ground  in  time  for  the  meeting. 
After  committing  myself  and  my  loved  ones 
at  home,  and  the  dear  cause  that  I  loved  so 
much,  to  the  care  and  keeping  of  my  mother's 
God,  I  said  to  my  faithful  pony,  "  Now,  Gharry, 
go  ahead  for  a  long  swim."  She  went  in  with  a 
rush,  but  got  fastened  to  a  sunken  tree  about 


UNCLE  JOHNNY.  105 

the  middle  of  the  dam.  In  trying  to  get  clear 
of  it  the  tree  began  to  move,  and  down,  down 
we  floated,  fastened  in  its  branches.  The  pony 
seemed  to  realize  the  danger,  and  after  several 
tremendous  efforts  got  clear.  The  tree  soon 
floated  over  the  dam,  and  we  reached  the  shore 
in  safety. 

A  very  large  crowd  were  on  the  camp-ground. 
According  to  the  programme,  I  spoke  the  first 
half  hour.  When  Uncle  Johnny  arose  to  reply 
I  noticed  he  was  greatly  excited.  He  com- 
menced by  saying,  "  My  friends,  when  I  left 
home  I  expected  to  make  short  work  with  this 
young  chap  and  the  gospel-shops ;  but — but — 
but  when  Brother  Thomas  told  me  how  the  chap 
had  crossed  the  mill-dam,  and  described  the  mi- 
raculous escape  he  had,  I  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  he  is  in  dead  earnest ;  that  he  is  honest, 
and  is  entitled  to  a  martyr's  crown ;  that  the 
cause  is  a  good  one,  although  I  have  often  de- 
nounced him  and  The  American  Sunday-School 
Union,  calling  them  a  pair  of  black  sheep,  etc.; 
but  I  was  wrong,  and  take  it  all  back."  lie 
then  took  my  hand  in  both  of  his  and  ex- 
claimed, "  I  am  mighty  glad,  my  brother,  that 


106  THE  OPPOSITION  LINE. 

you  were  not  drowned,  and  may  our  Father  in 
heaven  bless  you  and  the  cause  you  so  fear- 
lessly stand  up  for.  I  will  never  lay  a  feather 
in  your  way  hereafter." 

Then  a  good  Methodist  sister  shouted, 
"  Thank  the  Lord  !  I  do  believe  Uncle  Johnny 
has  got  religion !  Glory  be  to  God !"  and  com- 
menced singing 

"  Come,  let  us  anew  our  journey  pursue." 

Such  singing,  shouting,  hand-shaking  and  re- 
joicing I  have  never  heard  nor  witnessed.  Per- 
haps I  ought  to  add  that  the  young  missionary 
shouted  and  sang  as  loud  as  any  Methodist  on 
the  camp-ground.  A  glorious  revival  of  relig- 
ion followed. 

The  Bliady  and  the  Sunny  Side. — The  mis- 
sionary organized  a  Sunday-school  in  a  neigh- 
borhood called  G .     Among  the  scholars 

enrolled  were  twelve  sons  from  one  family,  and 
seven  boys  and  their  little  sister  from  another. 
The  school  made  a  fine  start,  and  the  prospect 
was  bright. 

A  short  time  after,  the  missionary  met  a  man, 
who  addressed  him  in  a  very  insulting  man- 


SHADY  SIDE.  107 

ner :  "  I  would  like  to  know  who  gave  you  the 
authority  to  take  my  twelve  sons  into  your 
Sunday-school." 

"  I  had  the  best  authority  in  the  world ;  it 
was  done  at  the  request  of  their  mother." 

The  man  was  very  profane  and  abusive,  and 
wound  up  his  drunken  tirade  by  saying,  "I 
want  you  to  understand,  sir,  that  I  am  going 
to  break  up  your  old  Sunday-school.  Not  one 
of  my  sons  shall  ever  enter  it  again.  Me  and 
my  boys  will  open  the  opposition  line  next 
Sunday." 

He  was  true  to  his  word,  and  on  the  next 
Sunday  his  house  became  the  rendezvous  for 
all  the  wicked  people  in  the  community.  Liq- 
uor-drinking, gambling,  dancing  and  all  kinds 
of  boisterous  sports  were  the  order  of  the  day. 
This  was  kept  up  Sabbath  after  Sabbath ;  and 
during  the  week  the  young  people  were  invited 
to  come  to  his  house  on  Sunday  and  have  a 
good  time.  The  little  Sunday-school,  how- 
ever, continued  to  flourish  in  a  quiet  way. 

About  twenty  years  after,  McCullagh  again 
visited  that  section.  As  he  looked  up  the 
road,  he  saw  a  man  who  was  very  much  intox- 


108  THE  OPPOSITION  LINE. 

icated  riding  toward  him.  The  stranger  could 
scarcely  sit  on  his  horse,  and  looked  as  though 
he  would  fall  into  the  mud  every  moment. 
When  he  came  up,  his  eyes  were  red  and  his 
face  hloated. 

"  How  are  you,  Mr.  McCullagh  ?  I  haven't 
seen  you  for  a  long  time.  Don't  you  know 
me?" 

"I  think  not." 

"  What !  don't  know  me  ?"  he  muttered  in  a 
thick,  stammering  tone.  "  Don't  you  remem- 
ber taking  twelve  boys  into  your  Sunday- 
school  years  ago,  and  how  the  old  man  cussed 
you,  and  said  he  was  going  to  start  the  '  oppo- 
sition line,'  and  took  all  of  us  boys  out?"  He 
then  began  to  curse  and  abuse  his  own  father 
with  fearful  oaths.  "  Yes,  the  old  man  died  a 
sot,  and  Bob  is  dead,  and  Sam,  and  George, 
and  Will;  all  of  the  boys  are  in  drunkards' 
graves.  Mother  died  years  ago  of  a  broken 
heart,  and  you  can  see  what  I  am.  God  bless 
you,  old  man;  and  I  hope  you  will  tell  the 
people  everywhere  that  the  ^opposition  line' 
don't  pay." 

The  Bunmj  Side. — There  is  a  bright  side  to 


DR.  JOHN  TODD.  109 

this  sad  story.  We  gave  the  dark  side  first 
On  entering  the  Sunday-school  in  a  southern 
city,  the  superintendent  grasped  Mr.  McCul- 
lagh's  hand  and  continued  to  shake  it  until  he 
thought  the  shaking  would  continue  all  day. 
"  Very  glad  to  see  you,  and  I  don't  believe  you 
remember  me.     I  am  one  of  the  seven  boys 

you  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school  at  Q . 

We  are  all  workers  in  the  Sunday-school  now, 
and  our  sister  is  a  faithful  teacher." 

There  is  an  interesting  circumstance  con- 
nected with  this  incident.  In  after  years, 
when  Mr.  McCullagh  was  speaking  in  the  New 
England  states,  the  late  Dr.  John  Todd  ques- 
tioned the  size  of  these  two  families.  Twelve 
children  in  one  family  seemed  almost  incred- 
ible. On  his  return  to  Kentucky,  Mr.  McCul- 
lagh got  a  number  of  certificates,  sworn  to 
before  state  officers,  not  only  from  families 
who  had  twelve  children,  but  from  some  hav- 
ing fourteen,  some  sixteen  and  some  eighteen 
children.  These  certified  statements  he  sent 
on  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Todd  and  his  New  England 
friends. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

CO-WORKERS. 

Enthusiastic  about  the  Sunday-school  work 
himself,  McCullagh  had  the  happy  faculty  of 
imparting  his  enthusiasm  to  others.  The  Sun- 
day-school children  in  Kentucky  felt  that  they 
too  must  help  on  the  good  cause.  The  various 
ingenious  methods  which  they  adopted  to  earn 
money  are  suggestive.  Some  of  them  had  their 
missionary  hens,  turkeys  and  ducks,  which  were 
sold  and  the  money  saved  for  Sunday-school 
work.  The  boys  sawed  wood,  baled  shingles, 
and  worked  in  the  garden;  the  girls  sewed, 
made  carpet-rags  and  knitted  socks. 

Stuttering  Willie. — One  little  girl  in  Hender- 
son county  knitted  a  pair  of  socks  and  sold 
them.  She  gave  Mr.  McCullagh  the  money  to 
buy  a  Bible  for  some  poor  child.  Soon  after, 
he  visited  southern  Illinois  and  organized  a 
Sunday-school.  While  he  was  enrolling  their 
names,  he  noticed  a  little  boy  who  seemed  very 
modest  and  bashful.     He  asked  for  his  name. 

110 


STUTTERING  WILLIE.  Ill 

The  child  seemed  greatly  embarrassed,  and 
made  several  efforts  to  reply,  but  had  an  im- 
pediment in  his  speech ;  it  was  a  great  effort 
for  him  to  stammer  out,  "  My  name  is  Stutter- 
ing Willie."  The  other  boys  came  around  him 
and  said,  "  Go  home,  Willie,  and  stay  there 
until  you  can  learn  to  talk."  Willie  was  an 
orphan,  and  the  boys  imposed  on  him.  The 
little  fellow  was  deeply  wounded  by  these 
cruel  words,  and  was  ready  to  cry.  Mr. 
McCullagh  put  his  hand  on  the  boy's  head 
and  said,  "No,  indeed;  Willie  is  coming  to 
Sunday-school  every  Sunday."  At  the  close 
of  the  meeting  he  showed  them  the  Bible  that 
the  little  girl  in  Kentucky  had  bought,  and 
told  them  he  was  going  to  leave  it  with  their 
superintendent  to  give  to  the  scholar  who  made 
the  greatest  progress  during  the  year. 

Three  years  after,  he  met  the  superintend- 
ent and  asked  him  who  received  the  Bible. 
"  Why,  that  little  orphan  chap,  ^  Stuttering 
Willie.'  He  is  the  smartest  boy  I  ever  saw, 
and  has  almost  broken  himself  of  stammer- 
ing." 

The  sequel  to  this  incident  is  interesting. 


112  CO- WORKERS, 

Many  years  after,  Mr.  McCullagh  was  travel- 
ling on  the  Mississippi  river.  On  the  boat  he 
noticed  a  man  watching  him  very  closely. 
Finally  he  sat  down,  and  the  man  came  and 
promenaded  up  and  down  before  him,  and  stead- 
ily watched  him.  At  last  the  gentleman  said, 
"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  for  my  apparent  rude- 
ness ;  but  only  at  this  moment  am  I  certain 
that  I  know  you.  You  are  Mr.  McCullagh, 
the  Sunday-school  man.  I  am  the  orphan  boy 
whom  they  called  '  Stuttering  Willie.'  Twen- 
ty-five years  ago  you  placed  your  hand  on  my 
head  and  spoke  kindly  to  me.  That  day  was 
the  turning-point  in  my  life.  I  knew  there 
was  something  in  me,  and  determined  that  it 
should  come  out.  I  won  the  Bible  you  offered 
as  a  prize,  and  have  it  now  in  my  travelling- 
bag.  My  business  has  prospered.  I  am  now 
an  officer  in  the  church  and  a  worker  in  the 
Sunday-school." 

Rehecca  Thomas  Ring. — When  working  down 
on  the  Cumberland  river,  Mr.  McCullagh  held  a 
meeting  to  organize  a  school.  After  speaking 
of  what  Christ  has  done  for  us,  he  then  consid- 
ered what  can  we  do  for  him.     We  can  (1) 


REBECCA   THOMAS'  RING.  113 

speak  for  Jesus  ;  (2)  sing  for  Jesus ;   (3)  work 
for  Jesus ;   (4)  give  for  his  cause. 

In  speaking  on  the  last  point  he  said,  "  Many 
people  have  treasures  laid  away  which  they- 
think  are  too  precious  to  give  even  to  the 
cause  of  Christ.  They  tell  us  that  Martin 
Luther  had  a  beautiful  medal  of  Joachim,  pre- 
sented to  him  by  the  Elector  of  Brandenburg, 
which  he  prized  very  highly,  and  had  hidden 
it  away  in  his  chest.  Not  long  after,  an  urgent 
appeal  was  made  to  Luther  for  funds  to  aid  an 
important  Christian  enterprise.  He  lamented 
that  he  was  penniless.  He  soon  remembered, 
however,  that  he  had  ^Joachim'  hid  in  his 
chest.  '  How  can  I  give  that  up  ?  What  was 
Joachim  made  for,  but  to  do  good  in  the  world  ?' 
He  then  went  to  the  chest  and  exclaimed,  '  Come 
forth,  Joachim;  why  dost  thou  hide  thyself? 
Dost  thou  not  see  how  idle  thou  art?  Come 
out  and  make  thyself  useful.'  He  then  took 
out  the  medal  and  sent  it  forth  on  its  mission, 
and  Luther  was  all  the  happier.  Our  treasure 
pays  best  when  cast  into  the  imperishable 
mould  of  a  good  deed." 

A  collection  was  then  taken  up  to  purchase  a 
8 


114  CO-WORKERS. 

library  for  the  school.  The  people  were  poor, 
and  only  a  small  amount  was  realized.  When 
he  was  preparing  to  leave,  Rebecca  Thomas,  a 
little  girl,  came  up,  and  handing  him  a  gold 
ring  said,  "  Here  is  my  Joachim.  My  mother 
gave  me  this  ring,  and  I  prize  it  very  much ; 
but  I  wish  you  to  buy  us  some  Sunday-school 
books  with  it."  He  reluctantly  accepted  it, 
and  promised  to  return  the  next  Sabbath  and 
bring  the  books. 

During  the  week  he  met  a  Christian  gentle- 
man and  told  him  about  the  ring.  "Well," 
said  the  old  man,  "that  is  too  bad."  Putting 
his  hand  in  his  pocket  he  took  out  a  ten-dollar 
gold  piece  and  said,  "Here,  Brother  McCul- 
lagh,  take  this  and  buy  the  books  for  them, 
and  when  you  return  give  back  her  ring  to  the 
little  girl." 

When  he  returned,  he  saw  Hebecca  and 
handed,  her  the  ring:  "Here  is  your  ring, 
daughter ;  the  Lord  has  opened  the  way  to  get 
the  books." 

She  hung  her  head  for  a  moment;  then, 
with  a  brighter  face,  she  looked  up  and  said, 
"  If  my  ring  has  gotten  these  books,  and  you 


E.  J.  HILL'S  DOLLAR.  115 

still  have  it,  I  wish  you  to  keep  it  and  use  it 
in  the  Sunday-school  work.  Maybe  others 
will  give  something  which  they  love,  for  the 
cause  of  Christ."  She  was  firm  in  her  refusal 
to  take  it. 

Mr.  McCuUagh  showed  this  ring  and  the 
ten-dollar  gold  piece,  giving  the  history  con- 
nected with  them,  in  many  Sunday-schools 
which  he  afterwards  visited.  He  estimated 
that  they  brought  into  the  treasury  of  The 
American  Sunday-School  Union  more  than 
fourteen  thousand  dollars.  The  society  now 
owns  the  ring.*  It  is  an  active  missionary. 
What  a  glorious  harvest  shall  follow  this  noble 
act  of  self-sacrifice ! 

Emma  J.  HilVs  Dollar. — On  his  regular  visits 
to  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Mr.  McCullagh  addressed 
the  Sunday-school  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church.  A  little  girl  in  that  school  was  deeply 
impressed  with  his  facts  showing  what  children 
could  do.  She  was  afterwards  taken  very  sick, 
and  when  at  the  point  of  death  desired  to  make 

*  It  is  in  the  hands  of  the  Eev.  J.  H.  McCullagh,  and  its 
inspiring  history  is  still  stirring  other  hearts  to  make  self- 
denying  gifts  to  the  Lord's  work. — Editor. 


116  CO-WORKERS. 

her  will.  "  I  wish  to  leave  it  all  for  Christ." 
She  had  but  one  gold  dollar.  It  was  given  to 
Mr.  A.  G.  Adams,  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school, and  also  a  vice-president  of  The 
American  Sunday-School  Union.  Mr.  Adams 
took  the  dollar  and  attached  it  to  a  white  card, 
and  wrote  on  it,  "Her  legacy,"  "Her  little  all 
for  Christ,"  "  See  that  Jesus  gets  it  all,"  and 
other  beautiful  expressions  that  she  had  used. 
He  sent  it  to  Mr.  McCullagh. 

This  beautiful  and  touching  story  has  been 
told  from  one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other,  and 
its  influence  has  been  wonderful.  Mr.  McCul- 
lagh calculated  that  it  had  been  the  means  of 
raising  seventeen  thousand  dollars  for  the  Sun- 
day-school work ;  and  the  end  is  not  yet.  How 
precious  is  the  assurance  "  their  works  do  fol- 
low them"! 

Ida  May  Bowen. — On  one  of  his  visits  to 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  a  little  girl  named  Ida  May 
Bowen,  nine  years  of  age,  heard  one  of  his 
addresses  in  a  Lutheran  Sunday-school.  She 
resolved  to  raise  the  money  to  start  a  Sunday- 
day-school.  In  the  rear  of  their  house  was  a 
little  garden.     She  bought  flower  seeds  and 


IDA   3TAY  BO  WEN.  117 

bulbous  roots  and  planted  them.  When  they 
blossomed,  she  made  pretty  little  bouquets  and 
sold  them  on  the  streets.  ^ 

One  day  she  asked  Mr.  Erastus  Corning  to 
buy  some  of  her  flowers.  He  said,  "Why, 
child,  what  are  you  selling  flowers  for  ?" 

"To  organize  a  Sabbath-school  in  the  South," 
she  replied. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  the  South  ?" 

"  Mr.  McCullagh  has  told  us  all  about  it." 

He  bought  all  that  she  had,  and  paid  several 
times  her  price  for  them.  She  did  not  find 
many  such  customers  as  Mr.  Corning  was,  and 
it  took  a  long  time  to  sell  fifteen  dollars'  worth. 
She  finally  raised  that  amount,  and  Mr.  Mc- 
Cullagh organized  a  school  in  a  very  needy 
place  in  Crittenden  county,  Ky.,  and  called  it 
the  Mayflower  Sunday-school. 

The  next  three  years  she  sold  flowers  and 
autumn  leaves,  and  furnished  the  means  to 
organize  a  school  each  year.  When  she  was 
thirteen  years  of  age  she  had  organized  four 
Mayflower  schools,  containing  about  four  hun- 
dred members. 

We   have    seen  Ida's  historic   little  flower 


118  CO-WORKERS. 

garden ;  it  must  have  required  great  labor  and 
skill  to  have  produced  such  grand  results. 

Miss  Charlotte  Sprague,  daughter  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Sprague,  pastor  of  the  Second  Pres- 
byterian Church,  Albany,  became  interested 
in  Mr.  McCuUagh's  work.  Although  a  con- 
firmed invalid  for  years,  her  needle  and  deft 
fingers  were  ever  busy.  Now  in  her  chair, 
then  half  reclining  on  her  couch,  she  was 
weaving  her  love  for  destitute  children  into 
the  very  fabric  of  her  handiwork. 

At  one  time  she  held  a  fair  in  her  father's 
house,  for  the  sale  of  the  beautiful  articles  she 
had  made.  The  proceeds  amounted  to  the 
handsome  sum  of  two  hundred  dollars.  Thus 
she  worked  on  for  years,  until  the  summons 
came  for  her  to  rest  from  her  labors  and  enter 
into  the  joy  of  her  Lord.  She  earned  enough 
money  to  organize  some  seventy  Sunday- 
schools,  containing  about  five  thousand  schol- 
ars. 

These  schools,  as  might  be  expected,  planted 
by  such  loving  hands,  and  nurtured  by  con- 
stant prayers,  have  been  remarkably  blessed. 
Several   churches   have   grown   out  of  them. 


UNKNOWN  FRIEND.  119 

One  of  these  schools  was  started  in  a  very 
destitute  place,  where  there  was  neither  a 
church,  Sunday-school  nor  day-school.  The 
old  log  school-house  had  become  an  utter  ruin. 
The  missionary  helped  with  his  own  hands  to 
make  it  habitable,  and  put  in  rough  temporary 
seats.  This  school  was  soon  after  blessed  with 
a  revival,  in  which  about  one  hundred  were 
converted,  and  a  church  was  organized. 

These  heroic  workers  who,  all  unknown  to 
fame,  amid  toil,  pain  and  keenest  suffering, 
take  up  daily  and  hourly  burdens,  and  bear 
them  for  the  good  of  others,  for  Jesus  and  his 
loved  ones,  shall  be  had  in  everlasting  re- 
membrance. "Give  her  of  the  fruits  of  her 
hands :  and  let  her  own  works  praise  her  in 
the  gates." 

Unknown  Friend. — In  1880  Mr.  McCullagh 
made  an  appeal  for  a  missionary  to  labor  in 
Virginia.  This  was  responded  to  by  a  gentle- 
man in  "  The  Old  Dominion,"  with  a  contribu- 
tion of  six  hundred  dollars,  who  signed  his 
name  as  "  Unknown  Friend."  The  missionary 
was  employed,  and  providentially  located  in 
the  town  where  Unknown  Friend  resided.     At 


120  CO-WORKERS. 

this  time,  neither  Mr.  McCullagh  nor  the  mis- 
sionary knew  who  Unknown  Friend  was,  or 
where  he  lived. 

A  young  minister  was  the  missionary,  and 
without  being  aware  that  he  was  working  right 
under  the  eye  of  his  patron,  he  commenced  a 
vigorous  Sunday-school  campaign. 

Unknown  Friend  was  a  good  Methodist 
brother,  and  had  frequent  conversations  with 
the  worker,  and  sometimes  accompanied  him 
in  the  work,  but  never  gave  a  hint  that  he  was 
supporting  the  missionary.  In  this  way  he 
thoroughly  measured  the  man  and  the  value 
of  the  work.  In  a  short  time  he  was  so  well 
pleased  with  his  investment  that  he  gave  six 
hundred  dollars  more  to  employ  another  mis- 
sionary. Being  a  man  with  a  family,  such 
contributions  could  only  be  made  with  great 
personal  sacrifice.  But  many  of  God's  people 
have  learned  by  experience  that  "it  is  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 

Many  Sabbath-schools  contributed  nobly  to 
the  cause;  among  them  are  Bellefield  Union 
School,  Pittsburgh;  School  Street  Sabbath- 
school,  Allegheny ;  Madison  Avenue  Reformed 


HELPFUL  SCHOOLS.  121 

School,  Albany;  Brown  Memorial  and  West- 
minster schools,  Baltimore. 

The  foregoing  instances  are  representatives 
of  the  great  army  of  helpers  throughout  the 
country  who  co-operated  with  him  in  the 
blessed  work.  Many  who  were  wealthy  gave 
their  hundreds  and  thousands,  many  who  were 
poor  giving  small  sums.  They  were  scattered 
among  all  the  churches ;  Baptist,  Congrega- 
tionalist,  Dutch  Reformed,  Episcopal,  Friends, 
Lutheran,  Methodist,  Presbyterian ;  and  many 
who  could  not  be  classed  with  any  denomina- 
tion, gave  from  the  impulse  of  philanthropy, 
believing  that  Bible  instruction  for  neglected 
children  was  one  of  the  best  possible  invest- 
ments. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE   FIELD   WIDENS. 

In  1852  Mr.  McCullagh's  success  in  active 
missionary  work  was  so  marked  that  in  addi- 
tion to  this  service,  he  was  appointed  to  super- 
intend others.  For  ten  long  years  he  had 
stood  solitary  and  alone,  the  only  Sunday- 
school  missionary  in  the  great  and  growing 
commonwealth  of  Kentucky.  He  now  visited 
the  larger  towns  in  the  state,  to  awaken  in- 
creased interest  in  the  Sunday-school  cause, 
and  to  collect  funds  to  employ  new  missionaries, 
and  train  them  for  effective  work. 

He  made  regular  visits  to  Louisville,  Lex- 
ington, Winchester,  Bardstown,  Frankfort,  Dan- 
ville, Springfield,  Nicholasville,  Bloomfield, 
Midway,  Shelbyville,  Owensboro',  Lebanon, 
Bowling  Green  and  many  other  places.  He 
received  such  liberal  contributions  that,  in 
1856,  he  writes,  "  I  now  have  twenty  assistants 
planting  the  Sunday-school  banner  in  destitute 
places."    Other  states  were  gradually  added  to 

122 


WITH  THE  MISSIONARIES.  123 

his  care,  until  he  had  the  supervision  of  the 
society's  field  work  in  the  South.  Being  an 
excellent  judge  of  human  nature,  he  selected 
competent,  consecrated  men  for  the  work. 
Some  of  these  continued  in  the  employ  of  the 
society  for  thirty  years,  being  among  its  most 
successful  missionaries.  He  visited  them  on 
their  fields  of  labor,  encouraged  and  assisted 
them. 

He  gives  the  following  illustrations  of  the 
nature  of  this  work : 

"During  the  year  1878  I  have  visited  my 
old  field,  where  forty  years  ago  we  set  up  our 
banner.  What  progress  has  been  made  !  What 
a  rich  harvest  has  been  and  is  still  being 
reaped  !  The  orange  tree,  with  its  large  ripe 
fruit,  its  advancing  young  fruit  and  its  buds 
Jind  blossoms  on  the  same  branches,  is  a  fitting 
representation  of  what  we  have  seen  in  our 
Bible  schools. 

"I  spent  several  weeks  with  Brothers  H. 
and  R.  in  the  mountains  of  Kentucky.  Our 
journey  was  really  a  triumphal  march  through 
a  number  of  counties.  The  meetings  were 
large  and  interesting,  comprising  all  ages,  from 


124  THE^  FIELD   WIDENS. 

the  little  Sunday-school  scholar  to  the  old  pa- 
triarch of  ninety-one,  all  wanting  to  hear  and 
learn  more  about  Jesus  and  the  great  salvation. 
"I  could  not  help  noticing  how,  at  every 
town  and  neighborhood,  the  people  came  out  to 
greet  our  missionaries  and  grasp  their  hands, 
expressing  joy  and  delight  at  seeing  them  once 
more,  with  such  expressions  and  exclamations 
as,  'Our  school  is  getting  on  finely;'  'We 
have  had  a  glorious  revival ;'  'Our  school  has 
more  than  doubled  since  you  were  here  last;' 
'  Mighty  glad  to  see  you  back  again ;'  '  We  are 
all  going  nine  miles  to  attend  your  meetings 
next  Sunday  at  Fighting  Creek.' " 

One  of  the  missionaries  in  Kentucky  wrote  : 
"  In  August  I  accompanied  Rev.  John  McCul- 
lagh,  superintendent  of  our  work  in  the  South, 
on  a  mountain  trip,  which  resulted  in  great 
profit  to  the  good  cause  in  that  region.  Our 
first  stopping-place  was  at  Livingston,  Rock 
Castle  county.  Rock  Castle  river,  where  in  1872 
I  planted  a  Sunday-school.  It  was  casting 
bread  upon  the  waters,  which  has  been  gath- 
ered after  many  days.  The  Spirit  revealed 
his  presence  and  power  in  our  meeting  there  at 


TN  KENTUCKY.  125 

night ;  and  about  twenty  professed  their  desire 
for  salvation.  We  left  the  meeting  in  the 
hands  of  the  brethren;  and  the  final  result 
was,  seventy  professed  faith  in  Christ.  Our 
next  objective  point  was  forty-five  miles  out  in 
the  mountains  in  Knox  county,  where  we  held 
meetings  for  a  few  days  with  the  Fighting 
Creek  Sunday-school.  As  the  immediate  re- 
sult nearly  twenty  professed  like  precious  faith 
in  Christ  and  asked  to  be  organized  into  a 
church.  Thus,  in  all  our  trip  and  labors  we 
were  blessed  and  made  to  rejoice  in  the  success 
of  the  Lord's  work.  We  are  persuaded  that 
the  planting  of  Sunday-schools  at  these  points 
was  the  beginning  of  those  gracious  seasons  of 
revival  and  conversion — the  result,  under  God, 
of  the  prayerful  and  faithful  teaching  and  labor 
of  those  who  had  a  heart  and  mind  for  the 
work." 

Having  such  a  leader  to  help  and  encourage 
them,  one  who  would  be  satisfied  only  with 
their  best  efforts,  the  results  in  the  South,  con- 
sidering the  number  of  men  employed,  have 
been  phenomenal  in  the  religious  history  of  our 
times. 


126  THE  FIELD  WIDENS. 

Getting  Contributions. — In  order  to  secure 
the  funds  necessary  to  extend  the  work,  Mr. 
McCullagh  made  regular  visits  to  Pittsburgh, 
Harrisburg,  Albany  (N.  Y.),  Louisville,  Nash- 
ville, Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  New  York, 
and  tours  through  New  England.  In  these 
cities  his  direct,  forcible  and  earnest  pleas  in 
behalf  of  Sunday-school  Union  missions  always 
won  for  the  cause  the  sympathy  and  support 
of  intelligent  business  men.  He  was  ever 
warmly  welcomed  in  the  pulpit,  on  the  plat- 
form and  in  the  counting-house.  Many  large- 
hearted  Christians,  enlisted  in  giving  to  this 
work  by  his  appeals,  continued  their  hearty 
support  year  by  year  for  more  than  forty  years. 

In  all  these  places  he  made  many  life-long 
friends.  It  would  be  a  pleasure  to  give 
sketches  of  this  noble  band  of  contributors, 
many  of  whom  have  gone  to  their  reward,  but 
it  would  require  a  volume  to  contain  even  their 
names.  These  contributors  he  affectionately 
called  "  God's  jewels,"  and  ever  held  them  in 
loving  remembrance. 

As  a  collector  of  funds,  he  had  but  few  equals. 
On  one  occasion  he  entered  the  office  of  a  friend 


GETTING  CONTRIBUTIONS.  127 

in  Louisville.  The  clerk  said,  "  Here  is  Mr. 
McCullagh." 

"All  right,"  responded  the  proprietor,  hastily 
getting  out  his  pocket-book ;  "  I  am  like  Davy 
Crockett's  coon ;  I  will  come  down  without 
being  smoked." 

A  good  old  brother  in  Pittsburgh,  who  has 
since  gone  home  to  rest,  said,  "  Will  I  give  a 
contribution  to  the  Sunday-school  work?  In- 
deed I  will.  I  never  saw  such  a  man  as  you, 
Brother  McCullagh ;  you  could  talk  a  bird  off 
a  bush  to  come  and  get  into  your  hand." 

At  one  time  the  society  directed  him  and 
one  of  their  other  agents  to  canvass  a  western 
city.  The  first  day  Mr.  McCullagh  was  a  few 
dollars  behind  his  colleague  in  the  amount  col- 
lected, and  the  good  brother  was  disposed  to 
boast  over  his  success.  The  next  day  Mr. 
McCullagh  called  on  a  gentleman  who  gave  him 
one  hundred  dollars.  That  night,  on  compar- 
ing notes,  his  colleague  was  far  behind;  and 
seeing  the  subscription  for  one  hundred  dollars, 
he  said,  "  I  saw  that  gentleman  yesterday  and 
he  only  gave  me  thirty  dollars,  and  to-day  he 
gives  you  a  hundred.     I  will  not  work  against 


128  THE  FIELD   WIDENS. 

you.  I  leave  on  the  next  train,  and  you  must 
finish  the  canvass." 

He  was  earnest,  persistent  and  enthusiastic 
in  collecting.  Said  a  friend  to  him  once,  "I 
do  not  see  how  you  stand  this  begging  money. 
It  is  the  hardest,  most  trying  and  disagreeable 
work  in  the  world.  People  will  get  so  they 
will  shun  you,  as  if  you  were  a  constable  or 
a  tax  collector." 

"  I  do  not  beg  for  money,"  he  replied.  "  I 
only  state  our  cause,  and  leave  it  with  their 
consciences  to  give  or  not.  If  the  Lord's  work 
needs  money  and  his  people  have  it,  I  only  do 
my  duty  to  him  and  them  when  I  tell  them  of 
it.  When  I  show  that  'the  Lord  hath  need 
of  them,'  they  will  respond." 

He  often  received  contributions  from  persons 
who  were  not  members  of  any  church.  These 
he  called  "  Noah's  carpenters ;"  and  he  would 
sometimes  say  to  them,  "  I  am  sorry  to  place 
you  among  Noah's  carpenters." 

"We  do  not  understand  what  you  mean," 
they  replied. 

"Well,  Noah's  carpenters  helped  to  build 
the  ark,  but  they  would  not  go  into  it.     The 


NOAH'S  CARPENTERS.  129 

flood  came,  the  ark  floated  off*,  and  they  were 
drowned.  You  are  helping  us  to  get  people 
into  the  ark  of  safety,  and  you  have  not  gone 
in  yourself.  Delay  is  dangerous.  When  I 
come  back  next  year,  I  hope  to  hear  a  better 
account  of  you." 

This  statement  caused  many  of  them  to  con- 
sider the  "great  question."  This  arrow  at  a 
venture,  under  the  blessing  of  God,  was  the 
means  of  bringing  one  young  man  into  the 
church,  who  became  a  vice-president  of  the  so- 
ciety and  noted  for  his  benevolence. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  when  the  southern 
states  were  impoverished  and  ruined,  McCul- 
lagh's  eflPorts  for  their  relief  were  incessant.  He 
visited  old  friends  whom  he  had  known  in  the 
days  of  affluence,  and  now  found  them  in  a  piti- 
ful condition.  We  will  not  describe  the  sad 
state  of  things  during  those  dark  days ;  words 
would  fail  us.  His  heart  was  stirred  within  him. 
He  hastened  North,  and  in  the  leading  cities 
described  what  he  had  seen.  The  response 
was  noble  and  Christ-like.  The  society  was 
enabled  to  furnish  books  by  the  ten  thousand 
volumes  to  a  people  who  were  heart-sick  and 
9 


130  THE  FIELD  WIDENS. 

starving  for  the  bread  of  life.  The  old  regime 
had  fallen;  the  relation  of  master  and  slave 
had  ceased  to  exist.  Four  million  of  slaves 
were  suddenly  free,  and  a  chaotic  condition 
seemed  likely  to  ensue. 

In  this  critical  and  dangerous  period  The 
American  Sunday-School  Union  rendered  most 
important  service  to  our  country.  Indeed  it 
is  regarded  by  some  as  the  fairest  and  most 
glorious  page  in  her  noble  history. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

DURING    THE    WAR. 

Kentucky  being  a  border  state,  and  having 
soldiers  from  both  armies  constantly  on  her 
soil,  the  feeling  of  dread  and  suspense  par- 
alyzed almost  all  interests.  Mr.  McCullagh 
went  right  along  with  his  Sunday-school  work 
as  though  peace  was  reigning.  Though  parti- 
san hate  was,  perhaps,  more  bitter  in  Kentucky 
than  in  any  other  state,  his  course  was  so  wise 
that  he  had  the  cordial  good  will  of  both  sides. 
His  sense  of  security  was  sometimes  a  great 
danger  to  him,  as  the  following  will  illustrate. 

He  went  to  Danville,  Ky.,  to  visit  his  daugh- 
ter, who  was  attending  the  Caldwell  Female 
Institute.  Central  Kentucky  at  that  time  was 
in  terror  on  account  of  the  extraordinary  move- 
ments of  General  John  Morgan.  Danville  was 
a  strong  Union  town,  and  when  it  was  known 
that  Morgan  was  likely  to  capture  the  place,  a 
number  of  Union  men  who  had  incurred  the 
displeasure  of  the  Confederates  thought  it  wise 
to  flee  to  Louisville  for  safety. 

131 


132  DURING   THE  WAR. 

While  on  his  visit  there,  Morgan's  men  in 
large  numbers  got  between  Danville  and  Louis- 
ville, and  all  communication  was  cut  off.  Mr. 
McCuUagh  determined  to  start  for  Louisville, 
but  his  friends  endeavored  to  dissuade  him, 
saying  that  he  could  not  get  through  the  lines. 
Yet  he  would  not  stop  on  account  of  difficulties. 
There  were  several  teachers  in  the  Institute 
from  New  England,  and  on  the  morning  he  was 
to  leave,  they,  and  the  friends  of  the  Union 
men  who  had  fled  to  Louisville,  brought  him 
about  a  hundred  letters,  which  they  asked  him 
to  mail  when  he  reached  Louisville.  He  took 
the  letters,  hired  a  conveyance,  and  started  on 
his  perilous  journey. 

When  he  had  gone  about  twenty  miles,  he 
saw  a  cloud  of  dust  rising  in  the  distance,  and 
in  a  few  moments  about  one  hundred  cavalry 
men  came  in  sight.  They  dashed  up  and  said, 
''  Where  are  you  going  ?" 

"  I  am  on  my  way  to  Louisville." 

"  Where  are  you  from  ?" 

"  I  left  Danville  this  morning." 

"What  are  you  trying  to  get  through  our 
Hues  for?" 


THROUGH  MORGAN'S  LINES.  133 

"  I  have  business  in  Louisville." 

"  Have  you  a  pass  from  General  Morgan  ?" 

"No,  sir." 

"  What  have  you  in  that  valise  ?" 

"'  I  have  shirts,  handkerchiefs,  some  sermons 
and  a  few  other  things." 

"  Empty  it  and  we  will  see." 

As  he  was  bending  over  to  unlock  the  valise, 
Captain  G.  dashed  up,  and  shaking  hands  cor- 
dially with  him  said,  "  How  are  you,  Mr. 
McCullagh  ?  Still  on  your  Sunday-school  work 
in  time  of  war  ?"  Turning  to  his  men,  he  said, 
"  Boys,  this  is  old  man  McCullagh,  the  Sun- 
day-school preacher.  You  have  no  time  to  fool 
with  him.  He  is  all  right.  Forward,  march;" 
and  away  they  galloped. 

When  he  reached  Louisville  he  met  one  of 
the  Union  refugees,  and  handed  him  some  half 
dozen  letters. 

"  Mr.  McCullagh,  did  you  bring  these  letters 
from  Danville  through  Morgan's  lines  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  and  a  big  pile  of  them  for  people 
all  through  the  North.  I  met  a  hundred  sol- 
diers, and  they  wanted  to  see  everything  in 
my  bag." 


134  DURING  THE  WAR. 

"  What !"  exclaimed  the  man,  bursting  into 
tears ;  "  if  you  had  opened  that  bag,  they  would 
have  hanged  you  without  delay.  According  to 
the  rules  of  war  you  were  a  spy,  and  guilty  of 
death.     Spies  receive  no  mercy." 

He  replied,  "  Well,  the  good  Lord  saved  me 
this  time,  and  I  will  carry  no  more  letters  for 
anybody  while  this  war  lasts." 

His  name  was  also  a  great  protection  for  his 
missionaries.  One  of  these  was  a  strong  Union 
man,  and  had  a  great  horror  of  John  Morgan. 
It  so  happened  that  the  missionary  rode  a  very 
fine  horse,  and  in  going  to  an  appointment  had 
to  pass  the  Confederate  outpost.  The  horse 
was  too  great  a  temptation  for  the  soldiers, 
and  straightway  the  missionary  was  carried 
under  guard  to  General  Morgan. 

A  sharp  colloquy  followed. 

"  Where  are  you  going,  sir  ?" 

"  To  start  a  Sunday-school  at  Goose 
Creek." 

"A  Sunday-school !  That  is  a  likely  story. 
You  look  like  a  Sunday-school  man.  They 
don't  ride  that  kind  of  horse.  Not  much  !  Got 
anything  to  show  ?" 


MORGAN'S  DECISION.  135 

"Yes,  sir;  here  is  my  commission,  signed 
by  our  secretary  and  countersigned  by  Eev. 
John  McCuUagh,  superintendent." 

Morgan  took  the  commission  and  read  it 
slowly.  "  I  don't  know  that  other  chap  ;  only 
old  Mac;  I  know  him.  He  is  the  prophet, 
apostle  and  high  priest  of  Sunday-schools.  I 
heard  him  when  I  was  not  knee-high  to  a  duck. 
Can  you  sing  ?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Go  at  it  then." 

With  a  slight  tremor  in  his  voice  he  began  to 
sing  Sunday-school  songs.  It  was  a  picture  for 
an  artist.  The  missionary  singing  for  dear  life ; 
the  rude  surroundings  of  the  camp  and  army;  the 
officers  sitting  on  their  horses ;  rough,  hard  men 
gathered  in  groups,  leaning  on  their  rifles.  The 
charm  of  music  and  the  power  of  association 
brought  back  home  and  fireside,  Sunday-school 
and  the  memory  of  other  days.  Tears  bedimmed 
the  eyes  of  those  strong  men.  Suddenly  Mor- 
gan's voice  rang  out,  "  Boys,  this  man  is  all  right. 
Old  Mac  picks  out  the  right  kind.    Let  him  go." 

Mr.  McCullagh  went  to  Wheeling  during  the 
war,  and  told  how  the  missionaries  were  al- 


136  DURING  THE  WAB. 

lowed  to  pass  through  the  lines  of  both  armies. 
Good  old  Dr.  Weed,  of  blessed  memory,  sat  in 
the  pulpit  with  him,  and  exclaimed,  "  Thank 
God!  The  American  Sunday-School  Union  is 
the  GOLDEN  LINK  that  binds  the  North  and  the 
South  together." 

Going  North  and  South  every  year,  McCul- 
lagh  saw  the  trouble  and  sorrow  that  wrung  the 
hearts  of  the  people  in  those  sad  times.  It  was 
often  his  privilege  to  help  those  in  distress. 

Blind  Ben. — In  1864,  when  travelling  on  a 
steamboat,  he  learned  that  a  number  of  wound- 
ed soldiers  were  on  board.  He  went  below, 
and  looking  at  the  unfortunate  men  said,  "Are 
there  any  of  my  old  Sunday-school  boys  down 
here?"  A  young  man  replied,  "Mr.  McCul- 
lagh,  come  this  way,  please." 

He  went  to  the  soldier,  and  found  that  a 
handkerchief  was  tied  over  both  eyes.  "  I  am 
so  glad  to  hear  your  voice  once  more.  I  knew 
it  was  you,  Mr.  McCullagh,  the  moment  you 
spoke.  I  am  Ben  B.  You  entered  my  name 
in  the  Pleasant  Grove  School,  in  Davis  county, 
Ky.  Alas !  I  am  stone  blind  for  life.  A  ball 
entered  one   of  my  eyes  and  destroyed  the 


BLIND  BEN,  137 

other  also.  You  must  now  call  me  Blind  Ben. 
I  remember  your  Sunday-school  address  well. 
You  told  us  all  to  memorize  the  fifty-third 
chapter  of  Isaiah,  the  fifty-first  Psalm,  and  the 
third  chapter  of  the  Gospel  by  John ;  and  you 
told  us  never  to  forget  the  sixteenth  verse  of 
that  chapter,  as  it  contained  the  substance  of 
the  whole  Bible ;  and  that  the  fifty-first  Psalm 
was  about  the  best  prayer  ever  written.  Alas  ! 
these  sightless  balls  can  never  see  you  in  this 
world ;  but  I  hope  to  see  you  up  yonder,  where 
we  shall  all  see  the  King  in  his  beauty." 

Only  two  days  before  his  death  a  gentleman 
from  a  distant  city  called  to  see  him.  He  said, 
"  I  have  not  seen  your  father  for  twenty-five 
years.  When  I  last  saw  him  it  was  during  the 
war,  and  I  was  in  prison ;  he  came  to  see  us, 
brought  us  a  box  of  good  books  to  read,  and 
loaned  us  money.     I  shall  never  forget  him." 

"  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his 
right  hand.  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world.  ...  I  was  sick,  and 
ye  visited  me  5  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came 
unto  me." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

ADDRESSES. 

As  superintendent  of  the  Southern  District, 
Mr.  McCullagh's  duties  required  him  to  make 
frequent  tours  throughout  the  country,  to 
present  the  claims  of  The  American  Sunday- 
School  Union.  Of  this  branch  of  his  work  he 
wrote,  "  I  have  addressed  Sunday-school  anni- 
versaries and  general  Sunday-school  meetings, 
from  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  to  Bangor, 
Maine,  and  from  Richmond  to  Minneapolis ; 
sometimes  having  from  six  to  eight  appoint- 
ments each  Sabbath,  and  several  during  the 
week." 

On  some  of  these  tours  he  was  accompanied 
by  Stephen  Paxson,  Chidlaw  and  other  vet- 
erans in  the  work.  In  Philadelphia,  New 
York  and  other  cities  the  largest  churches 
were  filled  to  hear  them.  Mr.  McCuUagh  re- 
garded the  story  of  Stephen  Paxson's  life  as 
the  most  telling  illustration  of  the  society's 
work. 

138 


IN  WASHINGTON.  139 

.  The  pulpit  and  platform  were  Mr.  McCul- 
lagh's  throne.  At  the  sight  of  a  large  audience 
his  eye  flashed,  and  he  seemed  like  a  war-horse 
impatient  for  the  charge.  At  a  meeting  in 
Washington  city,  over  which  a  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court  presided,  with  the  President 
of  the  United  States  and  other  distinguished 
officials  on  the  platform,  he  manifested  the 
same  tact  and  adaptation  that  he  used  before  a 
crowd  of  ignorant  men  in  their  shirt-sleeves,  in 
the  back  woods  of  Kentucky. 

His  addresses  were  filled  with  facts,  which 
he  brought  out  with  great  pathos  and  power. 
Possessing  action  in  a  high  degree,  his  nerv- 
ous, clear-cut  sentences  attracted  and  held  the 
attention  of  the  most  indifferent  auditors.  Some 
Sunday-schools  he  addressed  regularly  for  more 
than  forty  years,  and  the  day  of  his  coming  was 
hailed  with  pleasure  by  old  and  young. 

L.  Milton  Marsh,  secretary  of  the  society's 
work  for  New  York,  gives  this  instance  :  "  The 
fruits  of  personal  labors  of  our  missionaries 
are  not  confined  to  distant  fields.  Some  years 
since,  our  faithful  co-laborer  Rev.  J.  McCullagh 
gave  a  missionary  address  to  one  of  the  prom- 


140  ADDRESSES. 

inent  churches  of  an  adjoining  city,  which  had 
given  largely  for  our  work.  As  the  result,  they 
were  stirred  up  to  organize  a  mission  Sunday- 
school  in  their  own  town,  which  has  been  a 
great  success,  and  the  labor  of  sustaining  it 
proved  to  be  of  great  value  to  the  life  of  the 
church.  The  two  schools  now  have  about  two 
thousand  five  hundred  members.  One  of  the 
officers  of  the  church  school  said,  'We  are 
greatly  indebted  to  The  American  Sunday- 
School  Union  for  the  impetus  given  to  our 
church  by  Mr.  McCullagh's  stirring  words.' " 

Instead  of  giving  any  of  his  addresses  in 
full,  we  present  some  extracts  from  them,  from 
which  a  general  idea  of  their  character  may  be 
derived.  On  one  occasion,  after  giving  some 
pointed  incidents  from  his  missionary  experi- 
ence, he  said,  "  We  are  often  asked,  '  How  can 
you  account  for  such  wonderful  results  ?'  There 
are  several  reasons  for  it.  The  Sunday-school 
missionary,  unlike  many  other  Christian  work- 
ers, leaves  permanent  organizations,  self-sup- 
porting, self-conducting,  self-instructing,  that 
will  live  after  he  has  left  them,  to  confer  on 
other  neighborhoods  similar  blessings,  as  they 


BEASONS  FOB  THE  RESULTS.  141 

often  become  the  parents  of  other  schools,  the 
germs  of  evangelical  churches  and  nurseries  of 
heaven. 

"Again,  we  have  no  story  to  tell  but  the 
story  of  the  cross.  The  motto  and  key-note 
of  The  American  Sunday-School  Union  for 
half  a  century  has  been  ^  Jesus  only.'  There 
is  in  the  Vatican  gallery  at  Rome  one  of  the 
grandest  of  all  the  creations  of  art — the  famous 
painting  of  Raphael  representing  the  transfig- 
uration on  the  mount.  Two  sets  of  figures  are 
to  be  seen;  the  conception  of  that  wonderful 
and  almost  inspired  painter.  One  is  the  pros- 
trate disciples,  the  hovering  figures  of  Moses 
and  Elijah  on  the  mountain-top  amid  a  halo  of 
glory ;  while  on  the  back-ground  or  plains  below 
are  the  convulsed  demoniac,  the  anxious  father, 
the  perplexed  disciples  and  the  sympathizing 
crowd.  The  other  is  the  central  figure  of 
Christ,  glowing  with  such  transcendent  radi- 
ance that  all  other  forms  are  lost,  so  that  we 
can  see  no  man  save  Jesus  only.  The  cross  is 
the  mightiest  power  in  the  universe.  Jesus  is 
the  head  of  all  things  to  his  Church.  For  an- 
other year,  and  for  another  fifty  years,  shall 


142  ADBMESSES. 

we  not  ill  his  name  set  up  our  banners,  and 
take  as  our  motto  'Jesus  only'? 

*  There  is  no  name  so  sweet  on  earth, 
No  name  so  sweet  in  heaven.' 

In  his  cross  is  the  power  that  conquers  and 
draws  us  together. 

"After  the  battle  of  Manassas,  a  Federal 
soldier  lay  mortally  wounded.  A  Confederate 
came  by,  and  the  dying  man  asked  him  if  he 
would  pray  for  him.  The  answer  was,  '  I  am 
sorry,  I  don't  pray  for  myself;  but  I  will  move 
you  to  a  more  comfortable  place,  and  bring 
you  some  water.' 

"  Afterwards  a  Virginia  cavalry  man  passed 
by.  The  dying  soldier  repeated  his  request 
and  asked  his  enemy  to  make  a  prayer.  The 
trooper  said  he  would  try.  He  knelt  down  by 
his  side  and  began.  As  he  prayed  the  wounded 
man  drew  closer  and  closer  to  him,  and  with 
his  last  remaining  strength  partially  raised 
himself  until  his  head  touched  the  shoulder  of 
the  petitioner.  When  the  prayer  was  ended,  he 
was  dead — dead  with  his  head  resting  on  the 
bosom  of  his  late  foe.     The  power  of  the  cross 


UNION  SCHOOLS  OR  NONE.  143 

made  them  one  in  Christ  Jesus.  I  doubt  not 
these  two  men  will  sing  together  the  song  of 
redeeming  love.  Even  here  on  earth  we  feel 
it  good  to  sing 

*  Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds 
Our  hearts  in  Christian  love/ 


"  All  evangelical  denominations  are  benefited 
and  built  up  by  our  Union  work:  hence  we 
have  the  sympathy  and  co-operation  of  all.  At 
an  annual  meeting  of  one  of  the  leading  denom- 
inations of  North  Carolina,  not  long  ago,  a 
historical  sketch  was  read,  in  which  the  follow- 
ing statement  was  made  :  'Nearly  all  the  great 
and  good  work  accomplished  in  the  bounds  of 
this  body  in  the  cause  of  Sunday-schools  is 
justly  attributable  to  the  efficient  agency  of 
The  American  Sunday-School  Union.' 

"  Again,  in  thousands  of  neighborhoods  there 
must  be  Union  schools  or  none.  A  correspond- 
ent writes,  '  In  thirteen  counties  lying  west  of 
the  Blue  Ridge  there  are  five  hundred  Bible- 
schools,  and  more  than  four  hundred  of  them 
are  Union  schools.     This  part  of  the  country 


144  ADDRESSES. 

owes  a  great  debt  to  The  American  Sunday- 
School  Union.' " 
****** 

The  Missionaries. — Describing  its  mission- 
aries and  their  work,  he  eloquently  added : 
"  What  a  wonderful  regenerating  power  there 
is  in  Sabbath-school  work !  Corey,  Paxson, 
Chidlaw,  Upson,  Lewis,  Legare  and  others  are 
now  beyond  the  fifties,  yet  they  renew  their 
youth  like  the  eagles ;  they  run  and  are  not 
weary,  they  walk  and  are  not  faint.  I  think 
they  will  all  die  young  men,  and  then  begin 
immortal  youth. 

"  What  a  long  procession  of  Christians,  pa- 
triots, heroes  and  statesmen  will  walk  the 
narrow  road  from  our  Sabbath-schools,  long 
after  these  veteran  missionaries  have  unbuckled 
the  sword  of  the  conflict  and  gone  home  to 
rest! 

"  'Almost  up,  almost  up !'  was  the  cry  of 
a  wounded  sergeant,  as  they  laid  him  down 
on  the  battle-field,  and  watched  tenderly  his 
dying  struggles. 

" '  Where  did  they  hit  you,  sergeant  ?' 

"'Almost  up.' 


"ALMOST  UPr  145 

"  ^  No !  sergeant,  but  where  did  the  ball 
strike  you  ?' 

"  ^Almost  up,'  was  the  reply. 

"  ^  But,  sergeant,  you  do  not  understand ; 
where  are  you  wounded  ?' 

"  Turning  back  the  cloak  which  had  been 
thrown  over  the  wound,  he  showed  the  upper 
arm  and  shoulder,  mashed  and  mangled  with  a 
shell.  Looking  at  this  wound,  he  said,  '  That 
is  what  did  it.  I  was  hugging  the  standard  to 
my  blouse,  and  making  for  the  top.  I  was 
almost  up,  when  that  ugly  shell  knocked  me 
over.  If  they  had  let  me  alone  a  little  longer 
— two  minutes  longer — I  should  have  planted 
the  colors  on  the  top.     Almost  up,  almost  up !' 

"  The  fight  and  the  flag  held  all  his  thoughts. 
And  while  his  ear  was  growing  dull  in  death, 
with  a  flushed  face  and  a  look  of  ineffable  re- 
gret he  was  repeating,  ^Almost  up,  almost  up  !' 

"Beloved  comrades  in  the  army  of  King- 
Jesus,  let  this  be  our  cry  on  the  battle-field, 
and  our  joyful  shout  in  death. 

"  Will  you  allow  me  to  give  you  a  fact  from 
my  field  ?     We  often  talk  and  think  as  if  per- 

10 


146  ADDRESSES. 

secution  and  trials  for  Christ  and  his  cause  be- 
longed to  a  past  age.  Such,  however,  is  not 
the  case. 

"Let  me  tell  you  about  Lucy  L.,  the  infi- 
del's daughter.  Several  years  ago  I  addressed 
a  Sunday-school  in  Kentucky  that  you  had 
supplied  with  a  library.  My  subject  was  the 
'  Earthly  House/  '  whose  foundation  is  in  the 
dust'  (Job  4  :  19).  I  spoke  of  the  eyes  as 
the  window^s,  the  mouth  as  the  door,  the  ears 
as  the  side-doors,  the  hands  as  the  keepers  or 
servants,  the  conscience  the  watchman,  the  soul 
the  inhabitant.  I  spoke  of  its  great  value  from 
its  great  cost,  '  For  ye  are  bought  with  a  price : 
therefore  glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in 
your  spirit,  which  are  God's'  (1  Corinthians 
6  :  20),  of  self-consecration  of  eyes  for  Jesus,  of 
mouth,  tongue,  hands,  feet,  soul  and  body — all 
for  Christ.  I  spoke  of  the  martyrs  who  would 
even  die  for  Jesus. 

"At  the  close  of  the  meeting  a  young  lady 
came  and  whispered,  '  I  will  do  it.' 

"^Do  what?'  I  inquired. 

" '  Give  all  to  Jesus.  He  gave  himself  for 
me.* 


THE  INFIDEL'S  DAUGHTER.  147 

"About  two  months  after  this  it  was  whis- 
pered that  the  infidel's  daughter  was  among 
the  saints.  A  wonderful  change. in  dress,  in 
manner  and  even  in  countenance  was  noticed. 
As  long  as  she  attended  the  Sunday-school  her 
father  did  not  seem  to  care ;  but  when  he  heard 
that  a  church  was  about  to  be  organized,  and 
that  his  daughter  was  likely  to  cast  in  her  lot 
with  such  '  poor  trash/  as  he  called  them,  he 
raved  and  stormed  like  a  madman.  He  was 
proud  of  his  only  daughter.  She  was  the 
brightest  gem  in  his  handsome  home.  He 
called  her  into  his  study,  and  inquired  about 
the  whole  matter.  She  frankly  told  him  all. 
He  exclaimed,  in  a  passionate  voice,  ^Do  I 
understand  you  to  say  that  for  these  ignorant 
people  you  will  give  up  everything?  If  so, 
you  must  give  up  either  your  home  and  your 
father,  or  your  religion.' 

"  She  replied,  ^I  will  give  up  all  for  Jesus/ 

" '  Do  you  intend  to  join  the  church  ?'  he  in- 
quired. 

"  *  Yes,  father.' 

" '  Well,  it  conies  to  this  :  you  can  give  up 
him  whom  Voltaire  called  a  ^wretch/  or  me. 


148  ADDRESSES. 

Unless  you  give  up  this  foolish  idea,  you  can- 
not remain  in  my  house ;  and  henceforth  I  am 
your  father  only  in  name.' 

"It  is  now  Jesus,  or  father.  There  she 
stood,  clothed  with  the  mantle  of  a  new  and 
heavenly  faith ;  its  light  shining  in  her  broken 
heart  and  playing  over  her  pale  face.  With 
martyr-like  firmness  she  said,  ^  Jesus.' 

"  She  gave  up  all  for  him,  and  took  a  little 
school  as  a  means  of  support.  A  short  time 
time  afterward  her  step  became  slow,  her  form 
wasted,  her  eye  hollow,  and  her  cheek  sunken. 
In  a  few  months  Lucy  L.  was  on  her  death- 
bed. The  day  before  she  died  she  sent  for  her 
father. 

"  He  came ;  but  was  cold,  heartless,  and  as 
immovable  as  the  rock  of  Gibraltar. 

"  She  said,  '  Father,  I  will  soon  have  a  home, 
a  happy  home,  a  heavenly  home,  where  I  will 
set  a  light  in  the  window  to  guide  you  to  the 
mansions  of  glory.' 

"  The  next  day  a  few  Christian  friends  gath- 
ered around  her  bed  and  sang, 

'  Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul.' 


THE  INFWEVS  DAUGHTER.  149 

Her  face  was  angelic,  her  language  rapturous, 
and  that  log  cabin  was  the  gate  of  heaven. 
They  then  sang, 

*  Rock  of  ages  !  cleft  for  me, 
Let  me  hide  myself  in  thee.' 

At  its  close  they  heard  one  word — the  last. 
It  was  Jesus.  Other  than  mortal  eyes  might 
have  seen  a  chariot  of  glory  come  sweeping  by, 
to  bear  Lucy  L.  to  her  heavenly  home.  Will 
the  whole  congregation  please  unite  in  singing 
those  two  precious  stanzas  : 

*  Rock  of  ages  !  cleft  for  me, 
Let  me  hide  myself  in  thee ; 
Let  the  water  and  the  blood 

From  thy  wounded  side  that  flowed, 

Be  of  sin  the  perfect  cure ; 

Save  me,  Lord  !  and  make  me  pure. 

*  While  I  draw  this  fleeting  breath. 
When  mine  eyelids  close  in  death, 
When  I  rise  to  worlds  unknown. 
And  behold  thee  on  thy  throne. 
Rock  of  ages  !  cleft  for  me. 

Let  me  hide  myself  in  thee.' 


" '  Oh,  Sunday-school  worker/  he  continued, 
with  feeling,  as  every  eye  was  moistened,  '  be 


150  ADBBESSES. 

faithful,  be  earnest,  in  this  blessed  cause.  You 
know  not  what  glorious  results  shall  crown 
your  labors.' 

"  In  one  of  our  schools  was  a  teacher  named 
Mrs.  Long,  who  taught  the  young  men's  Bible- 
class.  This  class  was  composed  of  thirteen 
young  men.  She  not  only  taught  faithfully, 
but  prayed  without  ceasing  for  the  conversion 
of  her  scholars.  She  became  the  honored  in- 
strument in  bringing  twelve  of  them  into  the 
ark  of  safety. 

"^All  in  but  one,'  she  said,  and  she  con- 
tinued to  pray  for  that  one. 

"  On  a  wet,  disagreeable  Sabbath  morning, 
her  husband  remarked,  '  My  dear.  Clear  Creek 
is  over  its  banks,  and  I  suspect  the  road  is  im- 
passable beyond  the  bridge ;  so  you  can't  go  to 
Sunday-school  to-day.' 

"She  replied  that  she  had  not  missed  a 
single  Sabbath  in  five  years,  and  felt  that  she 
must  go  that  day  and  see  Dave  Nelson,  for  she 
had  been  praying  for  him  all  the  week. 

"  She  went  and  found  her  entire  class  pres- 
ent. When  the  school  closed,  Dave  whis- 
pered, '  Please  remain  a  little  while  ;  I  wish  to 


DAVE  NELSON.  151 

talk  with  you/  He  said  that  he  had  joined 
the  army,  and  his  company  were  to  leave  for 
the  front  the  next  day.  He  asked  her  to  pray 
for  him. 

"  She  answered,  ^  Dave,  I  have  been  praying 
for  you  all  the  week/ 

"  In  the  conversation  which  followed  she  led 
him  to  Jesus  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world.  In  the  ardor  of 
his  first  love,  he  exclaimed,  '  Jesus  is  indeed 
precious  to  me/ 

"A  few  months  later  Dave  Nelson  was  lead- 
ing a  charge  in  the  bloody  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga,  and  fell  mortally  wounded.  When  the 
surgeon  came  around  to  care  for  the  wound- 
ed, he  examined  Dave  and  said,  ^  We  can't  do 
anything  for  this  poor  boy;  he  will  die  in  a 
little  while.' 

" '  Yes,  you  can,'  said  the  dying  boy.  '  Open 
my  knapsack,  and  get  out  my  books.' 

"  They  got  out  a  little  Bible  and  a  copy  of 
'  The  Great  Question,'  by  Dr.  H.  A.  Boardman, 
in  which  was  written,  '  To  David  Nelson,  from 
his  Sunday-school  teacher.' 

"He  then  gave  them  Mrs.  Long's  address. 


152  ADDRESSES. 

and  requested  them  to  send  the  books  to  her, 
and  write  her  that  by  coming  to  Sunday-school 
that  rainy  Sunday  she  had  led  him  to  the 
cross ;  and  that  Jesus,  the  dear  Saviour,  was 
with  Dave  Nelson  in  his  sufferings.  When  he 
reached  heaven  he  would  be  waiting  at  the 
gate  for  Mrs.  Long,  and  would  take  her  by  the 
hand  and  bring  her  to  Christ,  and  say,  ^Pre- 
cious Saviour !  she  brought  me  to  thee. 

"  Oh,  workers  for  Jesus,  think  of  the  cordial 
welcome  you  shall  have  when  you  reach  the 
land  of  glory ! 

*  They  are  waiting  for  our  coming, 

Watching  on  the  other  shore ; 
Waiting  to  receive  the  ransomed, 
When  the  storms  of  life  are  o'er. 

'Watching  by  the  shining  portals 
Of  our  Father's  mansion  fair; 
They  will  strike  their  harps  of  glory  I 
They  will  bid  us  welcome  there,' " 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

PERSONAL    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Mr.  McCullagh  was  of  medium  height, 
somewhat  stout  in  frame,  with  strong,  prom- 
inent features,  and  well-balanced  mental  and 
vital  temperament  in  his  constitution.  We  do 
not  represent  him  as  a  perfect  man.  He  was 
intense,  earnest,  and  possessed  the  faults  usual- 
ly found  in  good  people  of  this  composition. 
Whatever  his  hands  found  to  do  he  did  with 
his  might;  his  zeal  rendered  him  impatient 
when  confronted  by  delays  and  obstacles,  and 
only  increased  his  determination  to  overcome 
the  difficulties.  There  were  but  few  things 
which  he  took  for  granted,  except  intuitive 
truths,  mathematical  demonstrations,  and  the 
word  of  God. 

He  would  not  sign  his  name  to  any  paper 
until  he  had  carefully  read  every  word.  He 
believed  strongly  in  the  corrupting  power  of 
sin  in  the  human  heart,  and  from  the  many  sad 
illustrations  which  he  had  seen  of  its  power,  he 

153 


154  PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS. 

hesitated  to  put  confidence  in  untried  persons ; 
but  when  he  was  once  convinced  that  a  man 
was  true  and  honorable,  it  mattered  not  what 
disasters  should  befall  him,  or  how  thick  cal- 
umnies and  evil  report  gathered  around  the 
once  fair  name,  he  never  deserted  a  friend  in 
misfortune  or  even  in  disgrace.  We  will  enu- 
merate a  few  of  the  leading  points  of  his  char- 
acter, and  in  this  w^ay  may  be  able  to  disclose 
the  secret  of  his  success ;  so  that  some  of  his 
young  friends  may  be  benefited  in  cultivating 
and  imitating  these  qualities. 

I.    STRONG    RELIGIOUS    CONVICTIONS. 

It  was  contrary  to  his  nature  to  do  anything 
by  halves.  Whatever  he  thought  worth  doing, 
he  spared  neither  pains  nor  labor  to  do  thor- 
oughly. This  principle  was  carried  into  his 
religious  life. 

After  thorough  examination  of  the  Bible,  he 
was  convinced  that  it  was  the  inspired  word 
of  God ;  and  its  precepts  demanded  as  implicit 
obedience  and  respect  as  an  audible  command 
from  Jehovah.  He  believed  the  great  body  of 
theology,  as  held  by  orthodox  evangelical  Chris- 


HIS  COVENANT.  155 

tians,  to  be  as  true  and  permanent  as  the  law 
of  gravitation  and  the  axioms  in  geometry. 
When  he  realized  that  he  was  a  sinner,  both 
by  nature  and  continued  transgression,  and  saw 
the  mercy  and  love  of  God  manifested  in  the 
death  of  Christ,  he  confessed  his  sins,  accepted 
the  offer  of  pardon,  and  consecrated  his  life, 
his  all,  to  the  God  of  mercy  and  love. 

In  witness  of  this  great  transaction,  he  wrote 
a  document  entitled  "A  Form  of  my  Covenant 
with  God,"  and  put  it  away  among  his  private 
papers,  where  it  was  found  after  his  death. 
This  covenant  is  long  and  solemn.  It  was  re- 
peatedly renewed  through  life.  Some  of  the 
dates  of  renewal  are  January,  1833,  June, 
1838,  January,  1841. 

We  give  some  extracts  from  it : 

"  Eternal  and  unchangeable  Jehovah,  the 
great  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  ador- 
able Lord  of  angels  and  men,  I  desire,  with 
deepest  humiliation  and  abasement  of  soul,  to 
fall  at  this  time  in  thine  awful  presence,  and 
earnestly  pray  that  thou  wouldst  penetrate  my 
very  heart  with  a  suitable  sense  of  thine  un- 
utterable glories.     Trembling  may  justly  take 


166  PERSONAL  CHABACTEBISTIGS. 

hold  upon  me  when  I  a  sinner  presume  to  lift 
up  my  head  to  thee ;  presume  to  appear  in  thy 
presence  on  such  an  occasion  as  this.  Who  am 
I,  0  Lord  God,  or  what  is  my  father's  house, 
that  I  should  speak  of  this,  and  desire  that  I 
may  be  one  party  in  a  covenant,  when  thou, 
the  King  of  kings,  art  the  other ! 

"But,  0  Lord,  great  as  is  thy  majesty,  so  great 
also  is  thy  mercy.  If  thou  wilt  hold  covenant 
with  any  of  thy  creatures,  thine  exalted  nature 
must  stoop  infinitely  low.  I  know  that  through 
Jesus,  the  Son  of  thy  love,  thou  condescend- 
est  to  visit  sinful  mortals.  I  come  therefore, 
through  thy  Son,  and  trusting  in  his  righteous- 
ness. I  acknowledge  I  have  been  a  great 
transgressor.  My  sins  have  reached  unto  the 
heavens.  God,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner. 
Remember  not  against  me  my  transgressions. 
I  bring  back  to  thee  those  powers  and  faculties 
which  I  have  alienated  from  thy  service.  Re- 
ceive, I  beseech  thee,  thy  poor  revolted  crea- 
ture. 

"With  the  utmost  solemnity  I  make  this 
surrender  of  myself  to  thee.  Hear,  0  heavens, 
and  give  ear,  0  earth :  I  avouch  the  Lord  this 


TITS  COVENANT.  157 

day  to  be  my  God ;  I  avouch  and  declare  my- 
self this  day  to  be  one  of  his  covenant  chil- 
dren. Hear,  0  Lord,  and  record  it  in  the  book 
of  thy  remembrance  that  henceforth  I  am  en- 
tirely thine.  I  would  not  merely  dedicate  unto 
thee  some  of  my  powers  or  some  of  my  pos- 
sessions, or  all  of  that  I  have  for  a  certain 
time ;  but  I  would  be  thine,  wholly  thine,  for- 
ever. 

"  Trusting  in  thy  name  and  grace,  I  bid  de- 
fiance to  sin  and  the  power  of  hell.  I  desire 
to  spend  the  remainder  of  my  days  in  the  way 
that  shall  effectually  promote  thy  honor  and 
glory.  I  leave,  0  Lord,  to  thy  management 
and  direction  all  I  possess  and  all  I  wish,  to  be 
disposed  of  as  thou  desirest;  contentedly  re- 
solving to  submit  my  will  to  thine.     Use  me, 

0  Lord,  as  the  instrument  of  thy  glory  and 
honor,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  world  in  which 

1  dwell. 

"  Grant  that,  through  life  and  in  my  dying 
moments  and  in  the  near  prospect  of  eternity, 
I  may  remember  these  my  engagements  with 
thee,  and  may  employ  my  latest  breath  in  thy 
service.     And  do  thou,  Lord,  when  thou  seest 


158  PERSONAL  CHARACTERISTICS. 

the  agonies  of  dissolving  nature  upon  me,  re- 
member this  covenant  too,  even  though  I  may 
be  incapable  of  recollecting  it. 

"Heavenly  Father,  look  with  pitying  eye 
upon  me ;  place  thine  everlasting  arms  under- 
neath me  for  support ;  put  strength  and  confi- 
dence into  my  departing  spirit,  and  receive  me 
into  the  embrace  of  thy  love. 

"  When  I  am  numbered  with  the  dead,  if  this 
memorial  should  chance  to  fall  into  the  hands 
of  any  surviving  friends,  may  it  be  the  means 
of  making  serious  impressions  on  their  minds. 
May  they  read  it  not  only  as  my  language  but 
as  their  own,  and  learn  to  love  and  fear  the 
Lord  God." 

It  may  be  well  to  observe  here  that  all  of 
the  prayers  which  stood  recorded  in  this  doc- 
ument for  more  than  half  a  century  were  an- 
swered. He  was  used  as  the  honored  instru- 
ment in  bringing  many  to  Christ.  His  latest 
breath  was  spent  in  prayer.  The  everlasting 
arms  were  around  him.  He  passed  away  from 
earth  to  heaven  without  pain  or  sickness.  The 
principles  expressed  in  this  covenant  governed 
his  Christian  life.     He  was  a  diligent  student 


DISLIKE  OF  SECTARIANISM.  159 

of  the  Bible  all  his  life,  and  read  it  regularly 
in  private  and  in  family  devotions. 

While  he  firmly  held  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
church  in  which  he  was  reared,  his  sympathy 
and  love  embraced  all  of  God's  people.  He 
had  but  little  patience  with  denominational 
bigotry  and  sectarian  exclusiveness.  Believing 
that  all  evangelical  churches  hold  much  in 
common  and  differ  only  on  non-essentials,  he 
regarded  it  as  both  foolish  and  wrong  to  em- 
phasize these  minor  points  so  as  to  produce 
bitterness  and  estrangement.  He  said,  "  We 
all  have  the  same  God  and  Father,  the  same 
Bible ;  we  are  all  sinners  saved  by  grace ;  we 
are  all  trying  to  reach  the  same  heaven.  Why 
should  we  spend  our  strength  in  fighting  each 
other?  Are  there  not  in  every  church  elo- 
quent ministers,  faithful  missionaries  and  many 
noble,  consecrated  men  and  women  ?  Does  not 
God  honor  them  all  with  the  presence  and 
power  of  his  Spirit  ?  Who  has  a  monopoly  of 
the  word  of  God  or  his  free  Spirit  ?  Let  us 
beware  how  we  oppose  each  other,  lest  haply 
we  be  found  fighting  against  God." 

He  was  firmly  convinced  that  united  Chris- 


160  PERSONAL  CHABACTERISTICS. 

tian  effort  was  irresistible,  and  regarded  the 
work  of  the  Bible  Society  and  The  American 
Sunday-School  Union  as  an  illustration  of  the 
point,  and  as  a  prophecy  of  good  things  yet  to 
come.  He  was  grieved  to  see  that  in  some 
places  the  tendency  of  the  times  was  to  draw 
the  denominational  lines  tighter,  so  as  to  ex- 
clude Union  work.  Why  should  this  be  done 
at  a  time  when  from  eight  to  ten  million  chil- 
dren and  youth  in  our  country  were  not  receiv- 
ing religious  instruction,  and  when  Union  and 
interdenominational  effort  was  the  only  prac- 
ticable and  successful  method  of  reaching  most 
of  them  ? 

On  one  occasion,  after  addressing  a  large 
audience  in  a  Virginian  city,  quite  a  number 
of  persons  came  forward  to  speak  to  him.  It 
seems  that  they  had  a  dispute  among  them- 
selves as  to  which  church  he  belon2:ed.  One 
gentleman  said,  ''  I  know  from  his  fire  and  en- 
thusiasm that  he  is  bound  to  be  a  Methodist." 

"No,  sir,"  answered  his  friend;  "there  is 
too  much  Calvinism  about  him  to  be  a  Meth- 
odist.    He  is  a  Baptist." 

A  third  one  remarked,  "  Both  of  you  breth- 


WILL  POWER.  161 

ren  are  mistaken.  I  know  from  his  dignity 
and  good  taste  that  he  is  an  Episcopalian." 

Another  said,  "  There  is  too  much  Scotch 
and  Shorter  Catechism  about  him  for  him  to 
be  anything  but  a  Presbyterian." 

He  replied  to  them,  "  Well,  brethren,  I  feel 
greatly  complimented  to  be  claimed  by  you  all. 
I  help  all  of  the  churches  by  my  work,  but  I 
will  not  tell  you  to  which  regiment  of  the 
King's  army  I  belong." 

While  he  was  conscious  of  the  powers  he 
possessed,  and  feared  not  the  face  of  man,  in 
things  relating  to  God  he  was  as  humble  as  a 
child.  When  he  erred,  with  tears  of  penitence 
and  prayers  of  confession  he  sought  forgive- 
ness. 

II.    WILL    POWER. 

His  perseverance  and  will  power  were  re- 
markable. After  carefully  considering  an  un- 
dertaking and  devising  means  for  accomplishing 
it,  seldom  did  he  fail.  Even  though  success 
did  not  come,  he  intermitted  his  efforts  only  in 
order  to  devise  more  powerful  methods  for  its 
accomplishment. 
11 


162  PERSONAL  CHARACTERISTICS. 

One  little  incident  will  illustrate  the  in- 
fluence of  this  quality  of  his  character.  He 
planted  a  strawberry-bed  in  his  garden.  The 
plants  were  growing  beautifully,  but  were  at- 
tacked by  insects  and  destroyed.  Having 
taken  great  pleasure  and  pride  in  his  garden, 
he  secured  other  plants  and  tried  again.  These 
were  likewise  destroyed.  Nothing  daunted, 
he  tried  again  and  again  until  the  bed  had 
been  replanted  twenty-five  times,  and  victory 
crowned  his  efforts.  When  urged  to  give  up 
the  apparently  hopeless  contest,  he  replied, 
"  No,  indeed ;  that  bug  does  not  crawl  that  can 
whip  me  out.  It  is  not  my  doctrine  to  give  up 
what  I  undertake."  This  same  determination 
to  conquer,  he  exhibited  in  the  great  as  well  as 
in  the  small  matters  of  life. 


III.    INDUSTRY. 

He  was  a  hard  worker  all  his  life.  When 
aged  more  than  three  score  years  and  ten,  his 
labors  put  many  a  young  man  to  the  blush. 
In  the  days  of  his  prime  there  seemed  to  be 
no  end  to  his  power  of  endurance.     On  one 


INDUSTRY.  163 

day  he  delivered  ten  addresses,  and  during  the 
last  seemed  as  fresh  as  if  it  were  the  first.  In 
preparing  a  circular  or  report,  he  sometimes 
revised  it  twenty  times  before  allowing  it  to  be 
printed.  His  success  resulted  from  patient, 
intelligent  and  persistent  hard  work.  If  he 
possessed  genius,  it  was  a  genius  for  intense 
protracted  application.  Life  was  real  and  earn- 
est to  him,  and  he  could  never  understand  how 
an  intelligent  being  could  spend  time  in  loung- 
ing and  idleness.  He  had  a  poor  opinion  of 
drones,  whether  in  or  out  of  the  Church;  be- 
lieving there  was  enough  unemployed  talent  in 
the  Church  to  evangelize  the  world. 

He  sometimes  told  with  keen  relish  the  story 
of  Daniel  Webster  and  his  brother.  When 
they  were  boys,  their  father  told  them  one. 
morning  to  mow  some  hay  in  the  meadow.  He 
then  left  them.  The  day  was  warm,  and  the 
boys  preferred  lounging  to  mowing.  When 
their  father  returned  at  noon  they  had  not 
mowed  a  stroke.  He  turned  to  the  older  boy 
and  said,  "  Zeke,  what  have  you  been  doing  all 
the  morning?" 

"  Nothing,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 


164  PERSONAL  CHARACTERISTICS. 

Then  putting  the  same  question  to  Daniel, 
the  reply  was,  "I  have  been  helping  Zeke, 
sir." 

The  Zekes  and  Daniels  in  the  Church  are 
retarding  its  prosperity. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

SUMMARY  OF  RESULTS A   RETROSPECT CLOSING 

YEARS. 

It  is  difficult  to  form  an  estimate  of  the  in- 
fluence and  far-reaching  results  of  such  a  life 
as  Mr.  McCullagh's.  Having  commenced  his 
Sunday-school  efforts  in  Great  Britain,  he 
worked  as  a  volunteer  missionary  for  seven 
years  in  the  United  States.  Then  he  labored 
as  a  commissioned  missionary  of  The  American 
Sunday-School  Union  for  eleven  years.  In 
1852,  in  addition  to  his  own  missionary  efforts, 
he  was  appointed  to  superintend  the  society's 
work  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  His  terri- 
tory was  extended  until,  in  1867,  he  superin- 
tended the  work  in  Virginia,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Geor- 
gia, Alabama,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Arkansas, 
Texas  and  Florida.  Subsequently  the  three 
states  lying  west  of  the  Mississippi  river  were 
transferred  to  the  southwestern  district.  He 
continued  to  superintend  the  work  in  the  re- 

165 


166  SUMMARY  OF  RESULTS. 

maining  states  until  1884,  when,  owing  to  the 
infirmities  of  age,  he  resigned  the  office  of 
superintendent.  Then  he  was  commissioned 
as  a  general  missionary,  in  which  capacity  he 
continued  in  the  work  until  his  death.  Thus 
his  connection  with  The  American  Sunday- 
School  Union,  as  a  volunteer,  a  commissioned 
missionary,  superintendent  and  general  mis- 
sionary, extended  over  a  period  of  fifty-four 
years. 

During  that  time  he  organized  1000  Sunday- 
schools,  containing  66,200  teachers  and  schol- 
ars. The  subsequent  growth  and  influence  of 
these  schools  cannot  be  estimated.  A  goodly 
portion  of  them  have  grown  into  churches; 
and  many  of  the  scholars  "  found  him,  of  whom 
Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  prophets,  did  write, 
Jesus  of  Nazareth." 

His  influence  extended  much  farther  than 
the  schools  that  he  organized  personally.  For 
more  than  thirty-six  years  an  important  part 
of  his  work  was  to  collect  money  to  support 
missionaries.  As  far  back  as  1857  we  find 
that  he  raised  over  three  thousand  dollars  a 
year — a  sum  sufficient  to  support  five  mission- 


SCHOOLS  ORGANIZED.  167 

aries.  This  amount  increased  until,  in  1866, 
his  average  collections  were  more  than  five 
thousand  dollars  per  year.  The  entire  sum  of 
money  that  he  raised  for  the  missionary  work 
by  personal  solicitation,  through  legacies  and 
other  sources,  amounted  to  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  dollars.  What  share  of  the  credit 
for  inducing  God's  people  to  contribute  to  this 
cause,  and  for  the  great  work  which  the  mis- 
sionaries were  thereby  enabled  to  accomplish, 
should  be  accorded  to  him,  we  do  not  undertake 
to  say. 

During  the  years  from  1867  to  1884,  while 
he  was  superintendent  of  the  southern  district, 
6459  new  Sunday-schools  were  organized 
in  that  field,  containing  304,000  teachers  and 
scholars.  Aid  was  rendered  in  12,000  other 
cases  to  neighborhoods  representing  638,700 
teachers  and  scholars ;,  25,800  addresses  were 
delivered ;  82,400  Bibles  and  Testaments  were 
distributed;  and  63,400  families  visited.  It 
would  be  difficult  to  estimate  the  influence  he 
exerted  by  wisely  training  the  new  mission- 
aries placed  under  his  care,  and  by  cheering 
and  encouraging  them  when  discouraged. 


168  SUMMARY  OF  RESULTS. 

What  the  harvest  shall  be  from  the  good 
seed  which  he  scattered  in  the  Bibles,  the 
many  Sunday-school  libraries,  and  the  ten  thou- 
sand volumes  of  good  books  he  distributed, 
will  be  known  only  in  the  great  day. 

The  number  of  Sunday-school  scholars  and 
young  people  whom  he  addressed  could  be 
numbered  by  the  hundred  thousand.  What  last- 
ing impressions  were  made  upon  their  young 
hearts,  w^hat  resolutions  were  formed  to  hate 
sin  and  seek  righteousness  and  the  increase  of 
Christian  effort,  are  pleasant  themes  to  consider. 

What  has  been  the  result  of  his  faithful 
words  in  the  thousands  of  families  that  he 
visited  and  faithful  admonitions  by  the  way- 
side, we  shall  never  know  in  this  world.  These 
suggestions  are  made  to  furnish  suitable  topics 
for  contemplating  the  extent  of  such  a  work. 

It  is  impossible  to  represent  in  figures  the 
results  of  a  well-spent  life.  A  man's  influence, 
be  it  for  good  or  evil,  lives  after  him.  And  it 
is  a  truth  full  of  comfort  to  Christian  people 
that  God  often  honors  their  influence  to  accom- 
plish more  for  his  glory  after  their  death,  than 
they  were  permitted  to  see  during  their  lives. 


SALIENT  POINTS.  169 

"  Though  scoffers  ask,  '  Where  is  your  gain  V 
And  mocking  say,  '  Your  work  is  vain,' 
Such  scoffers  die  and  are  forgot ; 
Work-  done  for  God,  it  dieth  not. 

"  Work  on,  work  on,  nor  doubt  nor  fear. 
From  age  to  age  this  voice  shall  cheer ; 
Whate'er  may  die  and  be  forgot, 
Work  done  for  God,  it  dieth  not." 

A    RETROSPECT. 

Let  US  glance  at  the  salient  points  of  this 
history : 

1.  We  learn  the  great  importance  of  early 
religious  training.  That  good  Scotchwoman, 
his  mother,  but  little  realized  what  a  valiant 
soldier  of  the  cross  she  was  training  for  battle, 
and  the  victories  he  would  achieve  on  another 
continent. 

2.  We  see  the  hand  of  Providence  in  human 
affairs.  "  The  steps  of  a  good  man  are  ordered 
by  the  Lord."  "  I  will  guide  thee  with  mine 
eye."  He  was  bereaved  of  his  family  that  he 
might  become  a  son  of  consolation  to  thou- 
sands. His  worldly  possessions  were  swept 
away  that  he  might  make  many  know  of  "  the 
depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom  and 


170  SUMMABY  OF  RESULTS. 

knowledge  of  God."  The  cupidity  of  the 
ship  agents  prevented  him  from  sailing  on 
the  "Margaret"  that  he  might  be  the  instru- 
ment, under  God,  of  turning  many  from  the 
way  which  leads  to  eternal  death.  He  was 
preserved  from  the  dangers  of  war  that  he 
might  tell  many  of  the  peace  of  God  which 
passeth  all  understanding. 

3.  We  note  all  through  his  life  the  glorious 
efficacy  of  the  gospel  according  to  the  promise, 
God's  word  shall  not  return  unto  him  void. 
Let  it  be  proclaimed  even  in  the  midst  of  ig- 
norance and  vice  and  the  results  are  astonish- 
ing. It  is  still  the  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion, and,  as  a  practical  working  power,  demon- 
strates its  strength  when  subjected  to  the 
severest  tests. 

4.  We  perceive  the  value  and  need  of  Chris- 
tian heroism ;  that  the  dauntless,  intrepid  sol- 
diers of  the  cross  who  invade  the  enemies'  ter- 
ritory can  win  imperishable  laurels. 

5.  We  perceive  the  importance  af  continuing 
this  foundation  work  to  which  his  life  was  de- 
voted. Vice,  ignorance  and  crime  are  of  rapid 
growth.     A  large  percentage  of  the  inmates  of 


CLOSING   YEARS.  171 

our  prisons  are  boys  and  young  men.  Corrupt 
and  infidel  literature  is  being  scattered  broad- 
cast to  contaminate  the  young.  There  are 
many  thousands  of  dark  places  without  the 
Sunday-school  or  church.  There  are  still  from 
eight  to  ten  millions  of  children  and  youth  in 
our  country  who  are  not  receiving  moral  and 
religious  training.  From  tlieir  wide  distribu- 
tion, and  from  the  choice  and  preference  of  the 
people  in  these  destitute  places,  it  seems  as  if 
the  hand  of  Providence  points  to  united  Chris- 
tian effort  as  the  available  and  effectual  means 
of  gathering  them  for  religious  instruction. 

CLOSING   YEAKS. 

In  March,  1884,  Mr.  McCullagh,  being 
seventy-three  years  of  age,  his  hearing  having 
almost  entirely  failed,  and  being  greatly  af- 
flicted with  rheumatism,  asked  to  be  relieved 
of  his  duties  as  superintendent. 

He  had  always  looked  forward  to  a  quiet 
and  peaceful  old  age,  in  which  he  could  spend 
his  time  at  home,  free  from  the  anxieties  and 
battles  of  life.  He  remarked,  "When  a  man 
who  has  toiled  all  of  his  days  reaches  the  age 


172  SUMMARY  OF  RESULTS. 

of  seventy  years,  he  should  spend  the  short 
remaining  time  as  a  kind  of  sabbatical  period, 
in  closing  up  his  earthly  affairs,  and  in  making 
special  preparation  for  his  eternal  rest." 

After  a  few  months,  however,  his  health 
greatly  improved,  and  his  time,  as  general 
missionary,  was  spent  in  advancing  the  work 
with  his  pen.  He  contributed  a  number  of 
articles  to  The  Sunday  School  World ^  wrote 
missionary  letters  to  the  patrons  of  the  society, 
and  continued  his  correspondence  with  all  of 
his  co-laborers  in  the  Sunday-school  work. 

On  account  of  deafness,  he  was  cut  off  from 
social  intercourse  with  his  neighbors  and 
friends.  He  spent  much  time  in  reading. 
When  fatigued  from  reading  and  writing,  his 
garden  afforded  him  an  endless  source  of  diver- 
sion and  relaxation.  Trimming  his  trees  and 
raspberries,  training  grapevines,  working  in 
the  strawberry  bed  and  among  vegetables,  ex- 
perimenting with  various  methods  of  gardening, 
were  duties  followed  with  unflagging  interest. 
From  such  careful  cultivation  the  yield  of  his 
garden  was  astonishing.  Every  tree  and  plant  he 
watched  as  closely  as  a  mother  would  her  child. 


FRIENDS  DEPARTING.  173 

During  his  last  years  he  was  frequently 
called  to  mourn  the  loss  of  some  dear  personal 
friend  or  relative.  It  was  owing  to  his  exten- 
sive acquaintance,  both  North  and  South,  that 
these  sad  announcements  were  so  often  re- 
ceived. "  I  feel  like  an  old  tree  standing  alone," 
he  said ;  "  my  friends  and  co-laborers  are  falling 
on  every  side.  It  will  soon  be  my  time ;  this 
old  body  can't  stand  much  longer."  While 
deeply  depressed  at  the  death  of  his  friends,  his 
usual  frame  of  mind  was  bright  and  cheerful. 

He  took  as  much  interest  and  pleasure  in 
life  as  a  young  person.  There  was  nothing 
morbid  or  gloomy  in  his  views  of  life  or  death. 
When  asked  how  long  he  would  like  to  live, 
he  replied,  "I  am  ready  whenever  my  time 
comes ;  but  if  left  to  me,  to  liVe  just  one  day 
longer  than  Methuselah  would  suit  me  very 
well."  He  became  more  patient,  gentle  and 
trustful  as  the  years  passed  by,  and  spent 
much  time  in  reading  the  Scriptures  and  de- 
votional books.  His  humility  was  beautiful 
and  touching;  he  never  regarded  anything 
"that  he  had  done  as  a  ground  for  his  personal 
acceptance  with  God. 


174  SUMMARY  OF  RESULTS. 

"  It  is  all  of  grace.  The  great  sacrifice  that 
was  once  offered  is  complete  in  every  respect. 
The  atoning  blood  of  Christ  cleanseth  from  all 
sin.  I  trust  not  my  own  merits,  but  in  his 
finished  righteousness." 

Owing  to  deafness,  he  was  in  his  later  years 
debarred  the  pleasure  of  attending  public  wor- 
ship. His  anxiety  to  hear  some  part  of  the 
service  was  such  a  strain  upon  his  nervous 
system  that  it  produced  an  intense  pain  in  his 
head.  The  last  sermon  that  he  heard  was 
from  Dr.  B.  M.  Palmer,  of  New  Orleans. 
"Every  thing  that  liveth,  which  moveth, 
whithersoever  the  rivers  shall  come,  shall 
live"  (Ezekiel47:9). 

The  discourse  depicted  the  glory  and  life- 
giving  power  of  the  gospel;  like  a  mighty 
stream  with  its  banks  covered  with  verdure 
and  flowers,  it  carried  life  and  blessing  wher- 
ever it  flows ;  so  the  gospel  carries  not  only 
life  but  eternal  life.  The  first  sermon  that  he 
heard  in  America  was  from  the  text  "  Ye  are 
my  witnesses,  saith  the  Lord."  By  the  bless- 
ing of  Grod  he  became  a  faithful  witness.  The 
last  was  a  description  of  that  eternal  life  which 


CLOSING  SCENES.  175 

the  gospel  imparts,  and  was  a  fitting  close  of 
the  great  subject. 

The  last  contribution  that  he  made  was  to 
help  build  a  little  Sunday-school  room  in  the 
suburbs  of  Henderson.  Forty-nine  years  be- 
fore he  had  raised  the  Sunday-school  banner 
in  this  part  of  Kentucky,  and  almost  with  his 
dying  hands  aided  in  keeping  that  banner 
waving.  Thus  he  left  off  where  he  began,  his 
first  and  last  effort  being  for  Sunday-schools. 

On  Saturday,  August  18,  1888,  lie  read  at 
family  worship,  with  great  emotion,  the  last 
chapter  of  the  Revelation.  That  day  he  wrote 
his  last  two  letters;  one  to  Missionary  Forster, 
thanking  him  for  a  walking-cane  he  had  kindly 
sent  him ;  the  other  to  Mr.  Peter  Lott,  a  con- 
tributor in  New  York. 

On  Sunday,  August  19,  he  complained  of  a 
slight  dizziness  in  his  head.  He  retired  early 
at  night,  and,  according  to  his  custom,  prayed 
aloud  when  going  to  his  room.  A  short  time 
after,  he  made  an  effort  to  call  the  family. 
When  we  reached  him  he  was  unconscious,  and 
passed  away  quietly  and  sweetly,  without  a 
struggle. 


176  SUMMARY  OF  RESULTS. 

An  artery  in  the  brain  had  parted,  and 
earth's  trials  ended.  The  Master  called,  and 
his  spirit  obeyed. 

"  Yet  speaketh  I  Though  the  voice  is  hushed  that  filled 
Cathedral  nave  or  choir,  like  clearest  bell, 

With  music  of  God's  truth, — that  softly  thrilled 
The  silence  of  the  mourner's  heart— that  fell 

So  sweetly,  oh  so  sweetly,  on  the  ears 

Of  those  to  whom  that  voice  was  dearest  of  the  dear. 

*'  Yet  speaketh !  There  was  no  last  word  of  love, 

So  suddenly  on  us  the  sorrow  fell ; 
His  bright  translation  to  the  home  above 

Was  clouded  with  no  shadow  of  farewell; 
His  final  evening  closed  with  praise  and  prayer, 
And  then  began  the  songs  of  joy  up  there. 

"  Yet  speaketh !  O  my  father,  now  more  dear 
Than  ever,  I  have  cried — oh  speak  to  me 
Only  once  more,  once  more !     But  now  I  hear 

The  far-oflf  whisper  of  sweet  melody : 
Thou  art  yet  speaking  on  the  heavenly  hill, 
Each  word  a  note  of  joy — and  shall  we  not  be  still?" 

He  had  requested  that  but  one  inscription 
be  put  on  his  monument :  "  With  long  life  will 
I  satisfy  him,  and  show  him  my  salvation." 
Loving  hands  laid  him  away  to  rest  in  the 
beautiful  valley  of  the  Ohio,  where  he  had 
valiantly  fought  the  good  fight  of  faith.     Here 


HIS  DEATH.  177 

he  sleeps  sweetly  until  the  resurrection  of  the 
just.  Here  he  shall  rest  until  he  sees  the 
morning  break  on  the  golden  shore. 

"And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying 
unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  which 
die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth :  Yea,  saith 
the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labours ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them." 


11 


CHAPTER  XX. 

VIEWS   OF    HIS   CHARACTER. 

After  Mr.  McCullagh  had  passed  away,  a 
multitude  of  letters  were  received  from  all 
parts  of  the  Union,  expressing  the  love  and 
esteem  with  which  he  was  regarded.  The  fol- 
lowing extracts  have  been  selected  as  repre- 
senting the  sentiments  of  them  all. 

The  Rev.  James  M.  Crowell,  D.D.,  Secretary 
of  Missions  of  The  American  Sunday-School 
Union,  wrote : 

"  His  life-work  was  a  magnificent  record  of 
faithful  toil  and  valiant  service  for  the  Lord 
and  Master  whom  he  so  ardently  loved.  And 
surely  the  history  of  The  American  Sunday- 
School  Union  is  crowded  with  facts  and  inci- 
dents associated  with  his  good  work.  How 
dearly  he  loved  our  society  and  the  children 
and  their  Saviour." 

The  Rev.  H.  Clay  Trumbull,  D.D.,  editor  of 
The  Sundai/- School  Times,  said  : 

"  Delightful  memories  of  my  experience  with 

178 


TRUMBULL,   YOUNG  AND   OTHERS.        179 

your  dear  father  come  back  to  me  as  I  learn 
that  he  has  finally  entered  into  rest.  I  am 
glad  of  the  life  he  lived ;  I  cannot  be  sorry  for 
the  death  he  died.  I  sympathize  with  you  in 
the  personal  loss  of  his  taking  away ;  I  rejoice 
with  you  in  memory  of  his  loving  service  for 
his  Master  and  in  the  assured  hope  of  his  pres- 
ence with  the  Lord." 

A.  G.  Adams,  of  Nashville,  wrote : 

"  From  his  pious  and  consistent  and  devoted 
life,  his  end  was  just  what  our  Lord  has  prom- 
ised." 

Colonel  Bennett  H.  Young,  president  of  the 
Louisville  Southern  Railroad  Company,  writes 
to  the  son  : 

"  I  have  often  said,  I  would  rather  have  your 
father's  crown  in  glory  than  any  man's  I  had 
ever  known.  Many  may  have  excelled  him  in 
many  things,  but  none  have  brought  more,  souls 
to  Christ,  and  none  lived  more  consecrated 
lives.  You  have  already  appropriated  the  prom- 
ises and  comforts  of  the  gospel.  You  are  in- 
deed rich  in  the  assurance  of  having  a  father 
so  full  of  good  works  and  faith,  and  one  who 
did  such  valiant  service  for  Jesus." 


180  VIEWS  OF  HIS  CHARACTER. 

The  Rev.  G.  S.  Jones,  of  Hendersonville, 
N.  C.^  for  many  years  a  missionary  of  the 
Union  in  Mr.  McCullagh's  district,  says : 

"Yours  of  the  23d  inst.  brings  me  such 
news  as  makes  me  feel  like  stepping  softly.  A 
sense  of  sadness  takes  possession  of  my  soul. 
I  look  again  over  the  last  letter  written  me  by 
your  dear  father,  and,  laying  it  down,  ask  my- 
self, is  it  possible  I  am  no  more  to  be  thus 
greeted?  Ah,  my  prayer  is,  Lord,  let  the 
spirit  of  devotion  to  the  great  work  in  which 
John  McCullagh  lived  and  labored  abide  on 
me,  even  me,  till  at  the  appointed  time  I,  too, 
shall  quietly  exchange  the  cross  for  the  crown. 
In  a  wreath  of  deathless  memories  the  name 
of  McCullagh  will  hold  a  century's  union  with 
our  good  old  society  that  cares  for  the  chil- 
dren." 

The  Rev.  Isaac  Emory,  of  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
another  experienced  missionary,  writes  : 

"  It  is  twenty-two  years  this  month  since  I 
first  met  with  him  at  Nashville,  and  at  his 
earnest  solicitation  consented  to  come  to  East 
Tennessee,  and  received  my  commission  from 
The  American  Sunday-School  Union.     I  said  I 


HUNTER  AND  PAXSON.  181 

would  enter  the  service  for  five  years,  provided 
the  Lord  blessed  me  in  my  work ;  but  he  said 
it  must  be  for  life — that  he  had  thus  enlisted. 
He  has  been  to  me  a  spiritual  father,  dearly 
beloved.  Sometimes,  when  weary  in  my  work, 
but  never  of  it,  he  would  cheer  me  with  the 
words  of  Luther,  '  Work  on  earth  and  rest  in 
heaven.'     Now  he  has  entered  into  that  rest." 

Howard  W.  Hunter,  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  says  : 

"  The  sympathies  of  many  hearts  in  our 
school  (as  indeed  over  many  states)  are  with 
you ;  while  we  cannot  but  rejoice  that  the  bat- 
tle-scarred veteran  of  many  battles  has  laid  off 
his  armor  to  receive  the  laurel  wreath  of  vic- 
tory. Oh  how  blessed  is  such  a  death !  When 
we  contemplate  his  reward,  how  ought  we  to 
be  incited  to  acts  of  heroism  and  of  self-denial ! 
What  an  immense  circle  of  friends  he  has  '  up 
there '!" 

Rev.  W.  P.  Paxson,  D.D.,  superintendent 
of  the  southwestern  district,  writes : 

"  It  was  my  privilege  to  be  closely  connected 
with  Brother  McCullagh  in  several  of  our  ex- 
tended eastern  trips  in  behalf  of  the  cause  he 
so  dearly  loved,  and  I  learned  to  love  him  next 


182  VIEWS  OF  HIS  CHABACTEB. 

to  my  own  father;  and  I  mourn  his  loss.  Yet 
why  mourn?  His  life's  labor  was  done  and 
well  done,  and  he  has  gone  to  meet  the  rest  of 
that  noble  band  of  veterans  who  have  gone  on 
before.  May  the  Lord  give  us,  who  succeed 
to  the  labors  of  such  men,  the  wisdom  and 
grace  to  be  as  faithful  and  efficient !" 

L.  Milton  Marsh,  secretary  at  New  York, 
writes : 

"  His  was  a  long,  useful,  blessed  life.  How 
truly  can  it  be  said  of  him,  ^He  hath  done 
what  he  could '!  Very  few  pastors  have  been 
permitted  to  preach  Christ  to  as  many  souls 
as  he." 

R.  G.  Chisolm,  of  Charleston,  a  vice-pres- 
ident of  the  society,  writes  of  Mr.  McCullagh  : 

"A  long  life  well  spent;  a  battle  nobly  won ; 
and  the  end  peace  and  joy." 

Hon.  John  W.  Simonton,  of  Harrisburg,  Pa., 
writes : 

"  Your  honored  father  did  a  great  work  for 
the  Master ;  and  while  he  rests  from  his  labors 
his  works  will  follow  him." 

James  P.  Orr,  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  says : 

"  Mr.  McCullagh's  life  and  work  was  a  grand 


ORB  AND  RICE.  183 

success ;  far  more  so  than  the  success  that  the 
world  applauds.  He  had  treasure  laid  up  in 
heaven.  It  is  a  great  comfort  to  know  that  he  has 
gone  to  a  sure  reward.  We  have  lost  a  friend 
here,  and  gained  one  in  the  throng  beyond." 

Rev.  Edwin  W.  Rice,  D.D.,  editor  of  The 
American  Sunday-School  Union,  from  his  sum- 
mer vacation  of  rest  by  the  sea-side  wrote : 

"If  I  was  counted  among  his  intimate 
friends  by  your  father  it  was  because  he  was 
ever  a  true,  manly  and  Christian  friend  to  me. 
How  kindly  he  took  me  by  the  hand  and  taught 
me  how  to  reach  the  hearts  and  to  some  ex- 
tent the  ^purses'  of  the  people,  when  I  was 
^  fresh '  and  a  poor  scholar  in  such  business  in 
the  West.  I  remember  with  sincere  reverence 
his  gentle  and  firm  teaching.  What  a  great 
gap  he  has  left  among  our  forces  !  That  splen- 
did band  of  veterans  are  fast  passing  away ! 
I  begin  to  feel  lonely !  There  were  Tousley, 
Corey,  Stephen  Paxson,  McCuUagh,  Chidlaw 
and  others ;  noble  men  all  of  them ;  each  a  peer 
in  his  place  ;  and  of  them  all,  no  man  could  wield 
the  influence  in  the  South  and  the  North,  and 
could  reach  the  ^pockets'  of  the  people,  by 


184  VIEWS  OF  HIS  CHARACTER. 

public  and  personal  appeals,  in  as  effective  and 
pleasant  a  manner  as  dear  old  John  McCullagh. 
He  was  always  sure  to  win  a  man  by  a  per- 
sonal interview ;  he  would  gain  him  as  a  '  friend 
to  the  cause/  even  if  he  received  no  contribu- 
tion on  the  first  application.  In  this  work  he 
^2i^  facile  princeps;  his  tact,  persuasive  power, 
sweetness  of  temper  in  rebuffs,  and  endless 
patience,  perseverance  and  dead  earnestness, 
carried  everything  and  everybody  before  him. 
.  .  .  The  great  desire  of  his  heart,  '  to  die  in 
the  harness '  and  to  pass  away  peacefully  and 
without  great  pain,  was  graciously  answered 
of  the  Lord." 

The  Presbyterian  Banner,  noticing  his  death, 
adds : 

"Mr.  McCullagh  was  known  far  and  wide 
throughout  the  land  as  the  children's  preacher 
and  indefatigable  Sunday-school  worker.  For 
more  than  half  a  century  he  was  identified  with 
the  great  work  of  The  American  Sunday- School 
Union.  He  was  one  of  the  grand  pioneer 
laborers  for  this  cause  in  the  Ohio  valley. 
Through  his  efforts  thousands  of  Sunday- 
schools  have  been  organized,  and  tens  of  thou- 


FROM  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORLD.  185 

sands  of  children  have  learned  the  sweet  story 
of  Jesus  and  his  love.  After  a  three  minutes' 
encounter  with  death,  the  veteran  toiler  passed 
into  the  presence  of  his  Lord  and  King  to  be- 
hold his  glory  and  beauty." 

The  Sunday- School  World  closed  an  extended 
notice  of  Mr.  McCullagh's  life  with  these  ap- 
preciative words : 

"  When  the  battle  of  earth  had  been  fought, 
without  pain  or  sickness  Mr.  McCullagh  rested 
from  his  labors  August  20, 1888,  at  the  age  of 
nearly  seventy-seven.  His  w^orks  follow  him 
and  his  memory  is  blessed.  His  earnest  en- 
thusiasm, his  untiring  energy  and  his  good 
judgment  of  men  rendered  him  a  very  efficient 
superintendent  of  the  missionary  work  in  the 
South.  His  relations  with  the  home  office  in 
Philadelphia  were  always  of  the  most  pleasant 
character.  His  affection  for  the  society  con- 
tinued to  be  most  ardent  to  the  end  of  life. 
The  officers  and  managers  always  commended 
his  zeal,  and  confided  in  his  good  judgment  as 
a  most  valuable  and  energetic  co-worker  with 
themselves  in  the  great  work  of  caring  for  the 
neglected  children  of  the  land." 


186  VIEWS  OF  HIS  CHARACTER. 

The  Christian  Observer,  of  Louisville,  Ky., 
after  referring  to  his  death,  adds : 

"  For  a  long  time  he  has  been  the  agent  of 
The  American  Sunday-School  Union,  and  as 
such  he  visited  many  of  our  congregations. 
His  advent  was  always  welcomed,  for  the  '  Old 
Missionary '  would  not  fail  to  bring  with  him  a 
cheery  face  and  a  happy  word  for  all.  Age  did 
not  seem  to  mar  the  brightness  of  his  smile  or 
the  cordiality  of  his  manner.  The  illustrations 
that  he  used  in  talking  with  the  schools  were 
always  pertinent  and  effective.  ...  He  came 
to  Kentucky  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  and  has 
made  his  home  at  Henderson,  we  think,  con- 
tinuously ever  since.  Some  time  ago  his  health 
failed,  and  he  has  been  calmly  awaiting  the  call 
of  the  Master  to  enter  into  the  rest  that  is  re- 
served for  all  those  that  love  his  appearing." 

The  Courier-Journal,  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  an- 
nounced his  death  and  adds : 

''  He  was  well  known  throughout  the  South, 
having  for  a  number  of  years  occupied  the  po- 
sition of  superintendent  of  The  American  Sun- 
day-School Union  for  the  southern  district. 
Mr.  McCullagh  was  a  truly  good  man  and  re- 


FROM  HENDERSON  NEWS.  187 

spected  citizen.     His  loss  is  mourned  by  the 
whole  community." 

The  Henderson  Journal  gave  an  extended  no- 
tice of  his  work  in  founding  a  church  at  that 
place  and  of  his  wider  labors  in  the  South, 
closing  thus : 

"  Sufficient  to  say  that  the  thousands  of 
Sunday-schools  established  through  his  agency, 
and  the  tens  of  thousands  of  children  brought 
to  a  knowledge  of  the  light  and  truth  by  his 
means,  are  monuments  of  which  any  man  might 
be  proud."  ■ 

The  Henderson  Neivs  gives  an  interesting 
picture  of  his  home-life  and  character : 

"No  citizen  of  Henderson  has  been  more 
honorably  mentioned  by  its  press,  after  death, 
than  has  been  Rev.  John  McCullagh. 

"  Like  a  weary  pilgrim  who  had  journeyed 
far,  he  came  to  the  river's  brink,  where  he  laid 
down  his  burdens  and  prepared  to  cross  to  the 
farther  side.  He  had  worked  during  the  allot- 
ted three  score  and  ten ;  and  although  he  was 
'  living  on  borrowed  time,'  as  he  sometimes  ex- 
pressed it,  his  intellect  was  not  allowed  to  rest 
in  idleness,  nor  the  feeble  hands  to  rest  from 
their  labors. 


188  VIEWS  OF  HIS  CHARACTER. 

"Always  a  toiler  in  his  Master's  vineyard 
while  health  and  strength  permitted,  his  inter- 
est in  the  cause  and  the  Church  never  flagged 
to  the  last.  Unlike  most  persons  who  engage 
in  literary  or  public  work  of  any  kind,  in  spite 
of  the  engrossing  cares  of  his  vocation,  he  had 
always  time  and  sympathy  for  the  discharge,  in 
detail,  of  the  duties  devolving  upon  him  as  a 
husband  or  father.  Whether  his  counsel  was 
needed  in  the  solution  of  a  knotty  problem  in 
a  business  enterprise,  or  to  soothe  the  school- 
boy woes  of  a  little  grandchild,  each  one 
turned  to  him,  and  none  failed  in  obtaining  the 
desired  aid  and  sympathy.  Although  an  alien 
from  the  home  of  his  birth,  he  identified  him- 
self with  the  interests  of  his  adopted  land,  and 
was  ever  a  faithful  and  worthy  citizen.  He 
grappled  with  the  difficulties  of  adverse  for- 
tune, and  bore  off  spoils  where  weaker  natures 
would  have  yielded  to  despair.  But  the  re- 
wards of  his  diligence  and  persevering  energy 
were  never  consumed  in  self-indulgence,  as  he 
was  ever  frugal  to  himself.  To  the  cause  of 
Christianity  the  first  fruits  of  his  success  were 
always  devoted,  and  afterwards  his  family  and 
friends  came  in  for  a  generous  share. 


TRAITS  OF  CHARACTER.  189 

"  Endowed  himself  with  «a  fine  intellect,  great 
powers  of  endurance,  strength  of  purpose,  un- 
usual fortitude  and  force  of  character,  united 
with  tender  affections  and  unswerving  religious 
sentiments,  he  transmitted  to  his  offspring  and 
nurtured  in  them  the  same  noble  traits. 
" '  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits.' 
"A  hero  indeed  he  must  have  been  to  those 
associated  with  him  in  the  daily  walks  of  life, 
when  such  were  the  impressions  made  by  his 
life  upon  one  who  only  caught  the  glimmer  of 
his  taper  from  afar  as  it  flitted  on  the  way. 

*  Over  the  river  they  beckon  to  me — 

Loved  ones  long  gone  to  the  farther  side ; 
The  gleam  of  their  snowy  robes  I  see, 

But  their  voices  are  drowned  in  the  rushing  tide. 
You  see  not  the  angels  waiting  there, 

The  gates  of  the  city  you  cannot  see  ; 
Over  the  river — the  peaceful  river — 

Loved  ones  are  waiting  to  welcome  me. 

*  I've  watched  for  a  gleam  of  the  flapping  sail — 

I  hear  the  boat  as  it  gains  the  strand  ; 
I  shall  pass  from  sight  with  the  boatman  pale 

To  the  better  shore  of  the  spirit-land. 
I  shall  know  the  loved  who  have  gone  before, 

And  joyfully  sweet  will  the  meeting  be. 
When  over  the  river — the  peaceful  river — 

The  Angel  of  Death  has  carried  me.'  " 


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